


Changing Tides

by SwanQueenScotty



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Doctor/Patient, F/F, Therapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:49:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 33
Words: 82,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24755041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwanQueenScotty/pseuds/SwanQueenScotty
Summary: Set loosely on film “The Prince of Tides”.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan, Pinocchio | August Booth/Red Riding Hood | Ruby
Comments: 77
Kudos: 122





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [All Swan Queen fans](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=All+Swan+Queen+fans).



> I did have this on AO3 before but took it down to do some edit it. I may ask for help or a co-author in the future as I’m not a great writer. I’ve just had this idea in my head for ages and just wanted to put it out here. If you read this and reckon you’d like to co-write this with me then please let me know. 
> 
> Disclaimer: On another note, I live in U.K. so my geography of USA is not great. I google a lot for research but this is all just fiction and therefore should be read with that in mind please. I’m also not a psychiatrist and have no knowledge of laws and procedures to do with these fields.
> 
> I have rated this as mature and rape/violence for later chapters. This will be a Swan Queen fic.
> 
> And a heads up: since it's loosely based on the film "The Prince of Tides, I'll be using some of dialogue from the film.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashback in this chapter clearly marked at beginning and end of the flashback

Emma rolled over in her double bed with a loud groan, grabbing her iPhone off her bedside table to switch off the alarm that was blaring loudly. She squinted as she made a swiping motion across the screen, trying to see what she was doing with her eyes still half closed. She hadn’t closed her bedroom curtains before crawling into bed earlier that morning, exhausted after a day of traveling and delays. The sun was already shining in through the window and casting a warm light directly into her eyes. Her face was contorted by the rays of the sun hitting it. She couldn’t remember setting an alarm, but when she swiped her phone to switch it off she thought that was that. But then she heard a voice. A deep sexy female voice. 

“Hello, am I speaking to Miss Emma Swan? Hello…?”

Emma looked at the time on her phone. It was just past seven in the morning . Uuuggghhh! 

“Hello?” Emma groaned.

“Hello? Is this Emma Swan?”

“Yes! And I would like to know who is calling me this early on a Saturday!” Emma yawned into her phone whilst rubbing her eyes.

“You don’t know me, Miss S- “

“Then what are you doing calling me at this time?” Emma snapped.

“Miss Swan, I am Dr Mills. I’m calling-“ 

Doctor? Why the hell is a doctor calling me early on a Saturday morning? I don’t think I’ve seen a doctor since… Emma’s thought was interrupted.

“Hello?”

“I don’t need a doctor.” Emma said, bluntly. 

“If you would just let me explain.” Regina rolled her eyes, already exasperated.

“Fine,” Emma sighed, “What can I do for you, Doctor?” her voice a mockery of sweetness.

“Thank-you. As I was saying… I am Dr Mills. I’m a Psychiatrist at Mount Sinai Hospital and I am calling on behalf of your brother-“

Brother!? What is this doctor talking about? Emma was alert now.

“I don’t have a brother.”

“I beg your pardon? Are you sure?” Confused, Regina quickly flipped through her patient’s file to get the information she needed. She found his next of kin: Emma Swan. Sister. 

“I said that I don’t have a brother.”

“Oh. You are a Miss Emma Swan, yes?”

“Yes, I already told you that! Says so on my birth certificate. Do you want me to send you a copy?” Emma added sarcastically. 

“Sorry, I am confused. I got your number off of my patient’s file, informing me that you are his next of kin. In fact it clearly states that you are his sister.”

“You are this person’s psychiatrist? Isn’t it your job to check that his file contains valid information? Maybe he is a nut job!”

“Miss Swan, will you please stop referring to my patient as a nut job. I am calling you on his behalf as you are the only name in his file that he has put down in case of an emergency. You must mean a great deal to him. He will need people close to him as a support system and I was hoping that since you are his sister, that you could be here for him. He will need all the help he can get from his loved ones. I would venture that if he put you down as his sister that you must mean a great deal to him.” Regina was getting frustrated, wondering if she should just hang up. But no, her patient needed a support system.

Emma rubbed her temple with her left hand as she heard this doctor’s heartfelt plea on behalf of her patient. She could only think of one guy she was that close to while she was in the system. He was the closest thing to a brother she would ever have and so she had to make sure it was him.

“What is your patient’s name?”

“Well, that is confidential information. If you are saying you don’t have a brother then by law I cannot tell you -“

“You are the one calling me! Telling me that you have some guy claiming to be my brother. That my name and number are on his medical file. How did he have my number? I bought a new iPhone and changed my cell number 6 months ago. I’ve only given my number to a handful of people whom I trust with my life.” 

Emma lets out a big breath of air. She could only think of one person who could probably obtain somebody’s number - probably illegally. 

Regina was at a crossroads. She couldn’t legally give this woman her patient’s personal details, no matter how much she wanted her patient to have support. Then she heard a very quiet whisper of a name.

“August Booth.” Emma barely whispers, too scared that it is him and yet hoping it is. “Is that your patient’s name?”

“Miss Swan, can you tell me why he would put you down as his sister if that is untrue?”

“Please! Just answer my question first,” Emma asks, frustrated that the doctor is ignoring her. She needed to make sure it was him. 

“Yes,” Regina reveals. “Now can you answer my question, please, Miss Swan?”

“Wait, what’s wrong with August? What happened to him?”

“Answer my question first and then I will tell you” Regina answered. She needed answers first before telling Emma anything more. “So he is not your family?”

“No… well, sort of…. I haven’t seen him in at least 4 yrs.”

“Miss Swan, is he or is he not your family?”

“August doesn’t have family. He is an orphan. So am I. If you want to be technical about it, then yes. He is…was my foster brother. We grew up in the same group home.”

“Oh, I see. Well I’m sorry to inform you me, Miss Swan, but –“ 

“Is he dead? Shit.” Emma said flatly, expecting the worst.

“No. But he did try to commit suicide last night.”

“Fuck! August...” Emma sighed, sliding her left palm over her face.

“Would you be able to come over here to visit see him, Miss Swan? I think it would be good for his recovery to have some sort of support, even if you aren't related, you two were obviously close.”

“Exactly, we were close. Were.” Emma sighed. “Where exactly is this hospital, Dr Mills?”

“New York.”

“New York!?” Emma had to laugh. “God! I’ve just come home from New York. Just got home last night. Or actually it was technically this morning.”

“You were? May I ask what you were doing in New York?”

“Not that it’s important, but I was there for work.” 

Emma was a bail bonds person and was chasing a lead on a woman who hadn’t turned up at her parole officer’s office and skipped town. She had managed to trace her to New York, but then lost her to one of her competitors who was also on the case. So it was not a good trip for her. Not only had she spent money on overpriced flights, but she lost the money she would have made on this job. Thinking about it now was making her mood worse. And now hearing that August tried to kill himself? Officially her worst week in a long time. 

“And where is home, Miss Swan?” Regina’s voice broke through Emma’s thoughts. 

“Tallahassee.” Emma covered her face with her left palm. She really didn’t want to go back to New York. But she was desperate to see August, to know he was ok.

“I see…. Is there any way you can come back?”

“Do I have a choice?” Emma almost laughed. The timing sucked – she would have to ask for more time off work now. Something she couldn’t really afford. 

“Well… you are the only person he has down in his contacts. I would really like to speak to someone who knows him well.”

“We haven’t seen each other in a long time. In fact, I didn’t even know where the hell he lived. If I had known he was in New York. God! Ok, I just need to sort some stuff out and try to get a flight. Though I’m not sure I will be there today… I will let you know as soon as I’ve booked something. 

“That is very good of you. I will see you when you arrive. Just come to my office first. I will text you the address.”

“Fine. See you later, Doctor.”

“Good-bye, Miss Swan. See you when you arrive here.”

With that, they both hung up and both sighed. Regina hoped that she had contacted the right person. Emma hoped that she could actually make it back to New York at all. But she had to. For August, she would just have to.

_________________________________________________________

Emma knocked tentatively on her boss's office door. She knew she was going to get pissed on for losing her mark. And now asking for more time off? She wasn’t looking forward to his reaction.

“Come in!” A rough voice shouted through the door.

Emma opens the door and it creaks just as it always has. She steps in and closes the door behind her, then makes her way to sit at her boss’s desk. He’s furiously typing away at something on his desktop and hasn’t even looked up to see who has entered his office. Emma clears her voice and he finally looks up at her.

“Swan! What the hell are you doing here? It’s barely eight in the morning. But I’m glad you’re here, I have a new mark

“Yeah, about that ...Leroy, I need to take some time off work. Something important has come up and I need to head back to New York.”

“What!? Emma you’ve just spent a week in New York. If this is about that woman then forget it! Killian got her. You lost your mark to that asshole! Besides, I told you she wasn’t worth following to New York, but you went anyway. I had more important cases that I needed you for. There’s no way -“

“Leroy, you have no idea who that woman was and what she’s capable of. I had to get her!”

“Enough, Swan! There’s no way I’m letting you go. It’s too busy and Will has been in housebound with a bad back. I need you here.”

“Leroy, I have to go. My brother ju-“

“You don’t have family, Swan. Save your bullshit.” 

Leroy looked back at his screen and began to type furiously away again whilst Emma gritted her teeth. She didn’t need to be reminded that she didn’t have a family. That she was alone. But she wasn’t. She had August. 

“August is my brother, Leroy. We may not be blood related, but August is my brother and needs me. I owe him my life and now he needs me so I am going back to New York. I’m taking an indefinite leave of absence.” 

With that, Emma stood up and walked to the door.

“If you leave, Swan, then don’t bother coming back.” Leroy says roughly while still typing away. 

Emma looks back over her shoulder. “Fine by me” she says as she walks out of her ex boss’s office.

_________________________________________________________

Well. That was that then. Emma Swan was out of a job and on her way back to New York to see her long lost foster brother. A man she hadn’t seen in years and, frankly, she never thought that she would ever see him again. Sure they were close when they were at the group home. But he was older than her and left the system way before she did. But he did keep his promise to stay in touch and would send her money every now and then. Money she had managed to save up so that she could one day run away and never look back at another group home again.

*FLASHBACK*

One Autumn day when Emma was 17, she arrived at her group home late after school. She had stayed at school in order to finish an assignment for her Geography class. It was her favourite subject, though to be honest she had wanted to also impress her hot teacher whom she thought resembled Kate Beckinsale. Emma knew the consequences of arriving back at the home late without letting her foster mother know. No dinner and possibly worse depending on iris’s mood.. One of the younger kids received a hard slap across her face once. Another kid got the belt, and one little girl - who was only 7 years old - got 10 slaps on her little hand with a steel ruler. Emma had immediately consoled the kid as soon as Iris had left the room. She had tended to the girls hand which was red and swollen. Luckily, the ruler somehow hadn’t broken the skin, but the poor kid was beside herself with pain and fear. Emma, at 17 years of age, was the oldest kid at home. That meant she would probably get some sort of physical punishment. She had considered sneaking in through her bedroom window, but decided to brave it out and walk in through the front door. As soon as she did, though, a fist landed hard across her face. Iris Turnbull was obviously not in a good mood today. 

“You think you can steal from me, you little street rat!?” Iris shouted as she pointed her finger at Emma. “What have I told you kids about stealing from me!?” Spit flew from her mouth and her face was an alarming shade of red. 

Emma didn’t have a clue what the clearly deranged woman was talking about. She was holding her left cheek as it throbbed away and wondered if her cheekbone was broken.

“I haven’t stolen anything from you,'' Emma said through gritted teeth.

“Do not lie to me., I found the money you stole from my purse. You think hiding it under your bed was a good idea? Did you think I wouldn’t find out!?” 

“That is my money! August sent it to me! ” Emma shouted back. It really was Emma’s money, but it was the wrong thing to say to an already angry and out of control woman. Emma received another slap across her face on the opposite cheek. 

“Why would anyone send you money? I’ve had money going missing every week for months and I never thought my own kid would be stealing from me! I take you in, put a roof over your head and food in your stomach! I should have never taken you in, you ungrateful girl! Now pack what little you have and get out!”

“What about my money!? I’m not leaving without it! I saved up over $800.” Emma was fuming. How could this be happening? All that money as hers. Tears sprung up in her eyes as she stared Iris down.

“Swan, you will leave here right now before I call the cops. You are lucky I didn’t call them in the first place. Not get your things and get out!”

So Emma left with just a small backpack and what little possessions she had. On her way out, she spied the tin box, where she stored the money she saved, on the kitchen table. Over $800. Not a lot to the average person, but to Emma, it felt like a million bucks. She made a quick step to the side and reached the box, before Iris knew what was happening, grabbed it and ran out of the kitchen, through the hallway and out the front door before Iris could even think about catching her. Emma was a fast runner and so she ran and ran. She had heard Iris shouting something behind her, but she didn’t care. She was now homeless, but at least she got her money back. August would be proud of her.

*END OF FLASHBACK*

Emma shook her head and exhaled a deep breath as she thought back on that day. She remembered she had tried to find August, but she didn’t get far. She ended up stealing the Volkswagen Beetle that she was now driving back to New York. That had been her home and how she first met Neal. 

Neal. Ha! If she ever saw him again, she honestly didn’t know what she would do to him. Was she capable of murder? Neal had conned her and had her take the rap for a bag of watches he had stolen. 11 months! She was in a juvenile correction facility for 11 months, because of him. She now had a criminal record, which she was trying her hardest to redeem. She had taken odd jobs, but realised quickly that she was good at finding people. She even managed to track down August, but they lost touch again after he went abroad to go “find himself.” That was about 4 years ago. Now he is in a mental hospital in New York. God, what the hell!

Emma had a long drive ahead of her. She was going to have to break up her journey because no way could she drive for over 16 hours straight  
Even if she had someone to share the driving with, which she didn't, she still had a long way to go. She would just have to be ok with being alone with her thoughts for a while. 

She wasn’t sure how she could help August, but she knew that she had to be there for him just like he was for her all those years ago, before he had aged out of the system and left the group home. He had saved her life that terrible night. A night that still haunted her dreams. 

Just before she left, Emma had texted Dr Mills to let her know that she was driving to New York and that she would be there sometime during the next day. Dr Mills wasn’t happy with that.

“Miss Swan, I was expecting to see you sooner.” Regina sighed, annoyed, and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Look, Doctor Mills, I have decided to drive as the airline was charging extortionate prices for last minute flights. I am used to driving long distances. Please just accept that I will be there as soon as I can. August isn’t in any danger of dying, is he?”

“No. He is in a stable condition in ICU at the moment. His doctor did need to put him in an induced coma, though. I really think you should still be here as soon as possible. Or is he not that important to you?”

Emma was mad. How dare this doctor? But she didn't owe her an explanation. She also didn't want to discuss getting fired and packing her life up in her small car to drive across the country. 

“I will be there. Just give me a day or two!” With that, she hung up and started her car. As she drove off, she wondered where she was going to stay. She hadn’t really given it much thought until now, too busy thinking about August and getting to New York. She wondered if Ruby was still in Queens with her granny. Maybe she could crash at her place if she could somehow get in touch. Didn’t she say she had moved to help her granny run a diner and an inn? She would try to get in touch with Ruby on her way to the city.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma entered her motel room carrying a duffle bag. She shut and locked the door before kicking off her shoes and belly flopping onto the surprisingly comfortable bed and releasing a sigh. She had been on the road for almost 8 hours with a few toilet breaks and stopping to fill her car with gas. She had also texted Dr Mills during her breaks to keep her updated on her journey. She needed to sleep desperately since she had left Tallahassee just after 11 that morning, after a row with her former boss. A motel had caught her eye in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Turning off, it was just after 10:30 pm when she parked her car in front of the motel reception. She quickly darted out, locked her car and went in to see if there were any rooms available. Luckily she managed to snag the last one. Her stomach let out a groan.

“Alrighty then, I better get some food in you”, she rolled her eyes as she spoke to her stomach. Realising there was no room service, she remembered seeing a vending machine just outside her room. She was putting money into the machine to pay for her coke and barbecue flavoured Lays chips when her phone rang. 

“Yeah!?” She answered, without checking who was calling, the machine kept spitting her quarters out. “What the fuck, man! Take the damn quarters!”

“I beg your pardon, Miss Swan?” A stern voice echoed through the line.

“Doctor Mills?” Emma asked as she kept feeding more quarters into the machine until they were all finally accepted, only to throw out the wrong soda and a Kit Kat. “God!! Why are you doing this to me!? I really wanted those chips!”

“Miss Swan, I’m just phoning to see how you are and where you are..!” Regina shouted over all the commotion she could hear in the background where things were obviously not going Miss Swan’s way. She then heard something drop and fizz.

“Dammit!” Emma had dropped her soda which then burst open and wet the bottom of her left jeans leg. “Great! Now look at what you made me do! I’m all sticky!” Emma practically whined. 

“Now listen here, Miss-”

“No, you listen here, lady! I told you that I was driving over! It’s a freakin’ long drive so I’ve stopped in North Carolina to get a few hrs sleep and then I’ll be on the road again. Okay!?” And with that, Emma’s stomach let out another groan which even Regina heard on her side. “That was my stomach. I’m tired and hungry and this damn vending machine is a demon's spawn, throwing out the wrong items and soda that explodes on impact of hard surfaces. Thanks to you!”

“How did I cause you to drop-”

“You distracted me! And I only have one hand since I’m using the other to hold my phone!” 

“Miss Swan! Will you please desist from yelling!”

“What? You started it!”

“I beg your pardon, but I did no such thing.”

“Ok, nevermind. What can I do for you?”

“God, you’re a child! My 10 year old son has better manners than you.”

“Hey! Take that back!” But as Emma thought about it, she realised she had started shouting first. 

“Damn, you’re right. Look, I’m sorry, Doctor Mills. I’m just tired and cranky.”

“It’s alright, Miss Swan”, Regina sighed. “I realise it has been a trying day for you. I’ll let you go get some sleep. Can you just tell me why you chose to drive? Could you not have taken a bus if flights were too expensive? Or even a train? To save your energy, perhaps?”

“I… got fired…or quit”, Emma said grumpily. She was still pissed off about the whole ordeal. 

“I’m sorry to hear that, Miss Swan.” 

“Yeah. Anyway, I couldn’t find a bus with a direct run to New York City and trains were also kinda expensive, so I just packed up my shit and I’m moving to New York. I work as a bail bond’s person and there’s someone in the city who owes me a huge favour. Anyway, August needs me. I owe him big time.”

“I see. Well, I’ll let you go. Just come straight to hospital when you get here. If you go to the reception desk, they will page me and I’ll meet you there. Take care and drive safely, Miss Swan. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Doc.” 

And with that they hung up. Emma went back to her room, ate her Kit Kat, drank whatever was left of her soda and stripped down to her underwear. She set her alarm to wake her up in 6 hours and then she was asleep before her head even hit the pillow.

————————————————————————————————————

Regina sighed as she ended the call. Was she doing the right thing getting this Emma Swan woman to come see her patient? She didn’t seem responsible and had quite a chaotic temper. It did say, in August’s file, that Emma was his family and to contact her in case of an emergency. Well, this was an emergency. But perhaps he hadn’t been suicidal at the time. Would he want Emma to know what he had tried to do? He hadn’t been in touch with Emma for years. Maybe there was a reason for that. Damn, what if Emma made his situation worse? Perhaps she should call Emma back and tell her to not come? But Emma just told her she quit her job to come see August. He must mean something to her. God, what a mess. Maybe she could just get the information she needed from Emma and then send her back to Tallahassee. Yes, that’s what she would do. Regina quickly looked at her watch to see it was way past Henry’s bedtime and she could still hear him playing Mario Kart. She put her phone down on the kitchen island before she made her way to the living-room.

“Henry, have you seen the time? Switch that off and go get ready for bed.”

“But mom, it’s Sunday tomorrow! Can’t I just finish this race?”, Henry whined.

“It appears you have. You just crashed. Again.”

“That’s ‘cause you’re distracting me!”

“Don’t forget you have a violin lesson in the morning with Eugenia, it’s at 9 a.m. sharp.”

“Mooooom!” He whined again. “I don’t like her, she’s too strict. I don’t even like violin. Can’t I try the trumpet instead. Or a sport. They’re having karate tryouts on Monday!” 

“Henry, please, you know how your father feels about karate! It’s way too dangerous and if you hurt yourself then I’d never forgive myself. Besides, we have already spent a lot of money on your lessons and your violin. And you’re very good at it.”

“But I’d be careful, mom. Please? Just let me try out. We wouldn’t even have to tell Dad. I probably won’t even make the team, but at least I would have tried. Plus, it would mean I could defend myself against any bullies." Henry avoided his mom's eyes as he said the last part. 

“Henry, are you being bullied? You never told that before, honey." She brushed his hair from his eyes. "And if your father found out about the karate, we’d both get it.” Regina said as she made a cut throat motion with her right hand index finger. 

“I won’t tell him if you don't”, Henry smirked.

“I’ll think about it-“

“YES!” Henry jumped and practically tackled her as he hugged his mom.”

“I said I’d think about it!” Regina half laughed as she was held tightly by her son. Her heart swelled as she tried to recall the last time he’d hugged her like this. It had been too long. 

“Now go get ready for bed before I change my mind. You are still having your lesson tomorrow.” Henry was about to protest – “But you can read a couple of chapters of your new book if you go now, without protesting. I’ll come up in a little bit to say goodnight.” Regina kissed the top of Henry’s head before she released him from the hug.

“Okay! Thanks mom.”

With that, Henry rushed away and left Regina to tidy up after him. But she didn’t mind. Not after receiving that hug. She promised herself that from now on, she’d try to be a better mom. She knew he hated the violin, but his father was adamant that he take after him. Regina didn’t really care that much about the instrument herself. She just wanted her son to be happy… and right now, if Henry really wanted to try karate then she’d at least let him try. Be had always been a big karate kid fan. And like he said: it would at least teach him to defend himself. But some kids were still way too rough and Henry was small for his age so of course she worried about his safety. Hopefully her husband, who was away on tour, wouldn’t find out. And if he did, then she’d just have to deal with it. As long as Henry was happy.

After Regina turned off the game console and put away the game and tidied the lounge, she went up stairs, fully expecting Henry to still be reading his book. But as she opened the door, Henry was sleeping with his book open on his chest. He must have been more tired than he thought. She approached his bed and gently removed his book and put his bookmark in place before closing it and putting it on his bedside table. She thought it was odd how he still loved his fairytales, but he insisted that this fairytale was different from all the rest. More boyish, though he secretly still loved “Snow White”. Regina switched off his light, bent down to kiss his forehead and pulled up his duvet to cover him properly before she left his room. She didn’t close his door all the way and left the hall light on.

As she got herself ready for bed, Regina’s mind wandered, once again, to Emma Swan. She hoped that Emma would be able to help August. He had only been her patient for about five months, but he seemed like a genuinely good – yet troubled – man. She wanted to help him. Her final thought, after she reached over and switched off her bedside lamp, was what Emma looked like. Judging by her voice, she for some reason imagined her to be blonde, and since she told Regina that she was a bail bonds person, she imagined Emma to be quite fit. She fell asleep wondering just how fit Emma was...


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our ladies finally meet. This chapter is dialogue heavy.
> 
> I didn't have a beta for this chapter. I own all my mistakes in any context.

It was late afternoon by the time Emma got to Dr Mills’s office. It was situated in a gorgeous brownstone building on East 74th Street and 5th Avenue. She was meant to meet Dr Mills at the hospital, but she was too late - she missed her alarm and overslept - so after speaking to Dr Mills on the phone, they arranged to meet at the doctor's office instead. She was permitted to park in front of the office, which she was relieved about. Finding parking in New York City was a pain. She parked up her bug, got out and took a moment to admire the building. Emma whistled to herself and shook her head as she walked towards the entrance. She was even more impressed when she entered and found the lobby to be as classy as she expected it to be. She checked her phone to read the doctor's instructions about finding her waiting room. It was just to the left, so she pushed the door open and entered, closing the door behind her. She took in the little waiting room and whistled again. Yes, it was small, but boy did it ooze sophistication. And money. Lots of money. 

"How the hell can you afford this shrink, Auggie!" Emma muttered out loud to herself. 

"August has an excellent private health plan."

Emma jumped. She hadn’t noticed the door to the office had opened; too busy looking around at the extravagance of the waiting room which was probably worth ten times her yearly salary.

Her breath caught as her eyes finally landed on the most beautiful woman she had ever laid her eyes on. She was dressed in a grey skirt and blazer power suit, with a silk burgundy blouse, tucked neatly into her skirt! Which stopped at just on her knees. Her very shapely legs were covered in silky tan stockings. Looking back up, she noticed for the first time that the woman - whom she assumed to be Doctor Mills - was leaning against the door jamb with her arms crossed. Looking further up, she noticed a slight smirk on her lips - an exact match to her burgundy blouse - and then gorgeous coffee coloured eyes which seemed to match the colour of her perfectly coiffed hair. And one of her perfectly groomed eyebrows was raised slightly. She seemed to be studying Emma right back. Finally! She straightened herself and stepped forward towards Emma.

"I apologise, I didn't mean to startle you." Dr Mills held out her hand towards Emma. "Hello. I'm Dr Mills. You must be Emma."

Emma awoke from her daze, taking the doctor's hand in her own. They were smaller than hers and so soft. Emma cleared her throat before replying. 

"Yes Ma'am"

They released each other's hands and Dr Mills gestured towards the door. "Why don't you come in?"

"Thanks," Emma replied as she entered the office before the doctor. Her office was even more extravagant than the waiting room - as she should have suspected. "Nice digs" Emma cringed even as she said it.

Regina just chuckled. "Thank-you?"

"So… Am I supposed to lie down on the couch, or are we gonna make polite chit chat?"

"How about a cup of coffee?"

"Oh, we're gonna make polite chit chat first."

"Was that yes or no to the coffee?" 

"It's a yes please, Ma'am."

Regina walked towards a counter holding an expensive coffee press. "Cream and Sugar? And you don't have to call me Ma'am, you know?"

"That's the good group-home-training," Emma replied in a sarcastic tone "and I'm a little nervous. Cream, three sugars."

"Three sugars!? How on earth do you stay that slim and keep your teeth so white?" Dr Mills asked in amazement. 

"You noticed, huh?" Emma winked

Dr Mills just rolled her eyes as she prepared Emma's coffee. "Why do you think you're nervous?

"I get nervous every time I speak to a beautiful woman. It's a quirk."

"A quirk? And please take a seat." 

Emma noticed the doctor was blushing slightly, trying to cover it up with the conversation.

"I'm sorry. I was being cynical. It's a family trait."  
Emma said as she sat down on the comfiest armchair she'd ever sat on in her life. Good thing she never lay down on the sofa. She would have fallen asleep instantly.

"Oh, I don't think August's cynical," Regina replied as she brought Emma her coffee and handed it to her. She then sat herself down in an armchair across from Emma.

"No? He's suicidal. I wish he was cynical. How is my brother?" Emma took a sip from her coffee and managed to restrain her blissful moan. 

"He's out of physical danger, but... "

"When can I see him?"

"You have to wait until tomorrow."

"Why can't I go now?" Emma knew she was being a grumpy brat, but she had driven all this way to see August.

"Well, first of all - as you well know - you're late." The doctor stared pointedly at Emma. "And he's very agitated today. We're trying to quiet him down. I think it would be too upsetting." 

"It wouldn't upset me," Emma said, again grumpily.

"No, but it might upset him. How's your coffee? Is it hot enough?"

"It'll do." It was perfect, but she would never admit that to the doctor.

Dr Mills suddenly leaned forward to grab a pair of spectacles and looked over some of her notes. She suddenly looked very stern. And hot! Emma had to stop looking at her, so she concentrated on her coffee. Until the doctor started speaking and Emma could no longer avoid looking at her.

"In August's poems... ...are you the thief or bounty hunter?"

Regina already knew Emma was bounty hunter, but she still wanted to hear her answer.

"Both?" Emma wasn't sure how to answer that. For some reason, she didn't want this doctor to think ill of her. She also didn't want to lie to her. 

"Both?" Dr Mills looked up, over her spectacles, at Emma and raised an eyebrow? Emma was discovering that raising just one eyebrow must be one of the doctor's quirks. 

"Well… I am a bounty hunter. Or bail bonds person. Whatever." Emma rolled her eyes at herself. "I was also a thief once upon a time. Even went to prison once." Emma smiled tightly at her admission, waiting for the good doctor to throw her out. When there was just silence, she carried on. "My, um, ex-boyfriend set me up. We had conned a few people and shop-lifted together before. Nothing major. I was 18...um, too young and stupidly in love. Anyway, Neil had stolen some watches - on his own, I didn't know he was going to do that - and he convinced me to get them from some locker he had stashed them in at a bus station in Texas. We were meant to meet back at our motel room. When I got there, Neil hadn't shown up yet. So I just waited. Three hours later, I hear all these sirens… " Emma stopped. A lump had grown in her throat. Ten years later and Neil's betrayal still stung her. She was still so angry at herself. 

"I'm sorry, Miss Swan." Dr Mill said as she leaned forward and put her hand on Emma's knee. Even through her jeans, Emma could feel the warmth from the doctor's hand. "How long did you get?"

"Eleven months. I got off easy on account that I I was still young and accused of being an accomplice rather than doing the actual crime. And I told them of some of Neil's hideouts. And they almost caught him, but he somehow managed to get away? Again. Anyway. I guess I was pretty lucky. I had a roof over my head and food in my belly." 

"Well, that's a positive way of looking at it, Miss Swan." The doctor patted Emma's knee before removing her hand completely. Emma felt the loss of it.

Emma laughed out loud at the irony of the doctor's statement. "Yeah, and that's exactly what I got. A positive." Emma closed her eyes, trying to keep her stinging eyes from betraying her.

"I apologize, Miss Swan, I don't understand…"

"About a month into my sentence, I wasn't feeling well. Kept getting sick, was craving food is never even tried before. I ended up at the nurse's room and she took my blood. And asked me to pee on a stick. Came back positive - I was pregnant."

"Oh."

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly!" Emma laughed sadly.

"What did you do?"

"Well, I didn't get an abortion if that's what you're asking."

"Of course not…" 

"I gave it up for adoption. I made sure it was adopted. The prison warden was kind to me and he set me up with a good agency. Took care of everything. I was happy I was able to keep my son out of the system. No child deserves that." Emma's voice sounded rough.

"You had a boy?"

"Yeah, and I heard he went to a really nice and well off couple. He would have everything that August and I never had growing up."

"That's good, Miss Swan. I'm very happy to hear it." 

If Emma wasn't mistaken, she could have sworn she heard a roughness to Dr Mills's voice. Similar to how her own must have sounded moments earlier. Like she was keeping her tears back. She coughed and cleared her throat a couple of times.

"Yeah, well, August was so pissed off with both Neal and with me. With me, it was because he couldn't understand how I could give up my baby. Especially after being abandoned as a child, myself. And he wanted to go after Neal a skill him. I managed to talk him out of it. Anyway, after I got out of prison, I stayed with him for almost a year. And then one day he told me he had a one-way ticket to Oz that he won in some poker game! Can you believe that? He said the rent to his apartment was paid up for the next three months, so I could stay there - we were in Tallahassee - and off he went."

"Well, August is a free spirit, isn't he?" Dr Mills said, trying to lift the mood.

"Yeah, he certainly is that."

"I don't want to dampen the mood, but do you know if August has ever tried to commit suicide before?"

"I don't know. There might have been another time when we were young, but I'm not sure. How are you getting paid?"

"Why change the subject?"

"Because I don't like it much. Is it okay if I smoke?" Emma said as she stood up, abruptly, and walked towards the window while taking out her pack of cigarettes from her leather jacket's pocket. 

"I'd prefer it if you didn't. How well do you know your brother's poetry?"

"I said I was a bails bond person, Mills, not an orangutan. I also took an English literature course at my community college. Of course I know his poetry. He's my brother. I know it a hell of a lot better than you do."

"You don't like psychiatrists, do you?"

"What good do you people do? You ask a lot of questions. I'm sick of this whole damn routine: of August just coming in and out of my life whenever he feels like it. I feel sick that I didn't know my brother was this ill, that he thought the only way out was to just kill himself. I'm sick of him always abandoning me to go "find" himself." Emma added the air quotes as she said 'find'. "And I'm sick of shrinks who can't do a fucking thing to help him."

"I don't know if I can help him either. But I do know I'm not gonna give up trying."

"Why not, huh? Maybe he just wants to die too damn much."

"And that's okay? You sound resigned to losing him." 

"Hell no, it's not okay with me. Yeah, but I am resigned." Emma sighed as she massaged her temples. 

"Then I don't think you can help me with August. I'm sorry you had to come all this way." 

"What do you want from me?" Emma almost whined. She felt helpless.

"Information. You see, I've only been August's doctor for a few months. There's so much more I need to know about him. I need to hear about his childhood, and he can't tell me... ...because he's blocked portions of his life out. Blotted out. So I need you to be his memory, in a sense... ...and fill in the missing details."

"I've spent my life trying to forget those missing details." Emma closed her eyes. Was she going to even be able to do this? But she wasn't going to give up on August. 

" - I beg your pardon?" the doctor asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

"I... God, he's a pain in the ass. What time tomorrow?" Emma was still massaging her temples.

Dr Mills finally smiled for the first time since they met. "I'll meet you at the hospital tomorrow at noon. Do you have a headache?"

"A doozy. You wouldn't have any morphine handy, would you?"

"Morphine?" 

"That's a joke, Mills."

"I knew that…"

"Yeah right. Hey, um... you wouldn't by any chance have August's address on file, would you? I kinda need a place to stay while I'm here."

"You didn't think to book a hotel before coming?" Dr Mills sounded amazed that anyone could travel like that.

"Well, it was kinda last minute. I tried getting in touch with an old friend who's granny owns an inn, but I've not heard back from her yet."

"Let me have a look at his file." Regina went to open her office door and walked out, as Emma followed her, and went into her receptionist's office. Since it was late, she had let Mary Margaret go home before Emma arrived. She located her patient's file that held his contact details. She sighed as she scribbled something down on a post-it she found on Mary Margaret's desk and handed it to Emma.

"Now I wouldn't normally do this," she gestured at the post-it she had just gone to Emma, "but I do believe August wouldn't object." She narrows her eyes at Emma. "Don't make me regret this."

"Thanks, Mills. I appreciate it. And so would August. See you tomorrow." Emma gave the doctor a little wave as she left the waiting room.

"You're welcome, Miss Swan. See you tomorrow then."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma goes to August's apartment and meets an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No beta, mistakes all mine

It was after 6 pm by the time Emma found August's apartment building. It was on Prince Street. Not too far from Dr Mill's office. At least she hoped it was where he lived. He was known to her for giving out false addresses and phone numbers. Emma, miraculously, managed to find parking but wasn't sure if she would be able to keep her car parked there permanently. She'd have to enquire about that if she was going to stay here for a while. She had parked parallel, but some kid was riding his bike very carelessly close to her parking space as she was trying to straighten up. She finally had enough of his "attitude" and wound down her window.

"Come on, get out of the way, kid. You're gonna get hurt."

"Screw you, lady."

"Nice. You kiss your momma with that mouth?"

"Fuck you!" He said as he finally rode away far enough to be safe, but stopped to give her a menacing stare. 

Once she was parked straight, she killed her engine and got out. 

"You gonna help me with the bags, kid?" She didn't need help as she was only taking one of her bags up for now. She was just winding him up. He seemed too easy.

"You out of your mind? I ain't helping you with no bags!"

"You're right, kid. I suppose I better save this twenty bucks for rent, huh?" She put the $20 note back in her phone wallet dramatically and pulled out her duffel bag from the trunk. She closed and locked up her bug and went to the entrance to August's apartment building. 

"Hey, wait!"

Emma just ignored him as she looked through the names of all the residents next to their apartment number. There were a couple of empty spaces which she thought: one of them might be August. He liked to stay anonymous. She finally spotted August's name next to apartment 15 on the 8th floor. She buzzed just in case August had a roommate. Nothing. She tried again, many times in quick succession. Still nothing. She then saw the door open out towards her; someone was coming out! A resident or a visitor, she didn't care. It was a way to get into the building. She held the door open for the man coming out and then once he was past, she smiled at him politely and went in. 

She noticed a lift to the left of the small lobby. The left wall was lined with post boxes for the apartment's residents.

She stepped towards the lift and pressed the up button, thankful it was actually working. She didn't think she could climb 8 flights of stairs up to August's floor. The doors opened moments later and she went in and pressed number 8. She caught her reflection in one of the floor-to-ceiling mirrors that lined the interior of the lift as it climbed up. She looked like shit. She cringed as she thought about the fact that she just met the most beautiful woman she had ever seen in her life looking like death warmed over. The bags under her eyes stood out. Her eyes were dull. She was fucking tired and needed a hot shower and sleep. 

Quite quickly, she arrived on the 8th floor. The lift made a 'ding' and then doors opened. She picked up her duffel bag, stepped out and surveyed the hallway. The floor was covered in a nice grey carpet. The walls were painted a light grey. There were several doors to the left and right of the lift, staggering each side of the hallway. A plaque on the wall, directly opposite the lift, told her that apartments 1 to 8 were on her left; 9 to 16 were. To her right. She turned right and walked to the last door on her right. Number 15. Emma noticed a key box on the right of the door. It needed a code to open. She tried her date of birth. "1-0-2-2-9-3," she said under her breath as she pushed the numbers. She instantly heard a buzz and saw a green light come on. "Bingo! Awww, I'm touched, Auggie." She smiled to herself. She retrieved the key and put it into the keyhole, turning it left and smoothly unlocking the door. She quickly opened up, entered the apartment and closed the door behind her. She didn't even get a chance to put the keys or her bag down before tripping over something big.

"Ow! Shit! Shit!" As she sat up rubbing her right elbow, she noticed a big parcel box addressed to August. Suddenly the apartment door burst open.

"Move your arse an inch... ...and you can kiss it goodbye! A tall man stood just inside the door, pointing a gun at her. Emma then heard a gasp. "Emma?"

It took her a moment to register him, but then her eyes widened and she gasped.

"Graham?! What the hell are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Well… Go ahead and shoot, I've had a rotten day."

"You should have told me you were coming."

"How the hell could I have let you know? I've not heard from you in over two years, Graham. Last I heard from Killian was that you had gone missing in action in action during an undercover op. You can lower the gun, now, Graham." Emma said as she got up off the floor and shoved the parcel she had tripped over to the side. She took her duffel bag to the living room, placing it on the sofa and sat down.

"I'm sorry." Graham had followed her into the living room and sat in an armchair. "August and I have been robbed twice this year. They're leaping from fire escapes. One landed on my air conditioner. I greased my windowsills. That didn't help." 

"I love New York," Emma muttered sarcastically.

"Tell me about it."

"How's Ruby? I tried calling her, but her phone kept going to voicemail."

"Gone. Said she needed space, so she found a younger man with a duplex." 

"It's her loss, Graham." 

"Thanks. Auggie was great. I practically lived over here."

"So you're alone now, huh?" Emma felt bad for Graham. She knew how much he loved Ruby. They'd been together forever.

"Unless I can tempt you into crossing the line while you're here." Graham winked playfully.

"I've got enough troubles, Gray."

"Well, you look terrible anyway, Emma. You're not even cute anymore." 

"If that's your idea of seduction, no wonder you're alone. Hey, did you know Auggie was seeing a psychiatrist?" Emma looked down at the carpet as she asked Graham. That's when she noticed the huge red stain. How on earth did he survive that much blood loss. Her eyes began to sting.

"Of course. I recommended her. Regina's a friend of mine." Graham noticed her staring at the stain. "It was a bitch washing it out." 

"You found him?" Emma asked in a whisper, still eyeing the strain. It was like a traffic accident. You can't help but look.

Graham just nodded.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More insight into Regina's life

Regina had left her office about 5 minutes after Emma had left her office. She'd had a long day and she was happy tomorrow was Friday. She didn't work weekends unless it was an emergency session: then she would charge double her rate. 

After grabbing her handbag and putting in a couple of her patients' files - including August's - she locked up her office and left the building. An Uber had arrived just as she stepped onto the sidewalk. She'd booked one just after Emma had left. It was one of her regular drivers so they knew to wait for her if she hadn't yet left the build when they'd arrived. She got in with a sigh, closing and locking her door. Better to be safe, she thought. 

"Long day, Dr Mills? The driver asked politely whilst looking at her through his rearview mirror. 

"Too long," Regina sighed. "I had to wait for someone who turned up later than expected. She drove from Tallahassee. Can you believe that?" Regina said as she plugged in her seatbelt. "You can go now, Daniel."

"Wow, that must be over a thousand miles. You must be a very good psychologist if she's come all this way to see you." Daniel said as he pulled out and headed towards Regina's apartment on Central Park park West.

"Oh no," Regina chuckled, "she's the sister of one of my patients here. He needs a support system so she decided to pack up her things and move up."

"She must really love him to do that. I don't think my brothers would care if I turned up dead in some ditch." The driver said more to himself.

"Well, I would care, Mr Colter. You are my favourite Uber driver after all. I don't care much for the other guy at all. He keeps staring at me through the rearview mirror every time we stop at a traffic light." Regina shudders at the thought of that man.

"Do you mean Sidney?" Daniel asked, concerned.

"I don't know his first name. I call him Mr Glass." 

"Yeah, that's him. You should give him a 1-star rating. This will block you from being matched with the same driver again in the future. Have you rated him? When a driver falls below a 4.6 overall rating they risk being deactivated from the platform. It is always best to contact Uber support regarding safety issues."

"I usually give him a three, but I've only had him a handful of times. He hasn't ever tried anything. Just stares at me. How did you know it was him I was talking about?" Now Regina sounded concerned.

"Well, I've heard some similar stories about him from a few of my other female customers and funnily enough, you all look the same. Probably best to avoid him if you can."

"What do you mean we all look the same?" This Sidney guy was starting to sound like a typical stalker-slash-serial killer. 

"Well, you are all beautiful women, have dark hair/eyes, olive skin, Latina qualities - no offence." He stopped at a traffic light and turned around to look at his customer. Regina was always kind to him and he liked her. Not in a romantic sense - he was happily married. "Look, Dr Mills. I just realised I probably described a creepy serial killer with a penchant for a certain kind of woman. Please just don't use him again. I'll keep my ears and eyes open, but please just avoid him and if you are desperate for a ride and I'm not available then just call me on my personal phone." Daniel then handed Regina a business card. "My wife, Sally, always answers my phone if I've left it at home for some reason, but if you leave a message with her, she will get a hold of me." Daniel looked solemnly into her eyes. 

Regina could hear the concern in his voice as she took the card from her driver. She cleared her throat and nodded. "Thank you, Daniel. I-"

HONK HONK HONK!!!

Someone was honking their horn at them to move. The traffic light had turned green and the Uber was holding up a long line of traffic behind them. 

"You better make a move before someone gets irate and you get reported yourself. I'd hate to lose my favourite driver." She smiled at him.

HOOOONKKKK!

"Yeah, I better." He chuckled and turned, grabbed the steering wheel and checked to make sure light was still green before driving forward; hoping he didn't piss anyone off too much that they would report him. 

The rest of the journey passed quietly. Her apartment was only a couple of miles from her office and on a good day, only took about ten to drive. But traffic seemed heavier in the early evenings and she was in her home 25 minutes after leaving her office. She bid Daniel good night and thanked him for the card with his personal number, promising him she would use it if she needed to.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She had made a lasagna last night and so she was thankful there was enough leftover for Henry and herself this evening. She couldn't bear the thought of having to cook something from scratch. If Robin was home, he'd have wanted her to cook a fresh new meal, so she was glad he was away on tour on the west coast. 

When she got in, Henry was in the living room with his grandfather. Regina's dad - Henry Sr. - would look after Henry after school. He had also been a psychologist and his love for his job and helping people had inspired Regina to pursue psychology as a career herself.

After placing her keys and purse on a table in the entrance hall, she removed her light coat and painfully high high-heels and padded her stocking feet along the hallway towards the sound of the living room. She could hear the sounds of the television blaring and instantly recognised the voices of the characters of her dad's favourite Spanish telenovela. He loved Spanish soap operas and that love of them had somehow passed on to his grandson. 

"Hey boys," she sighed as she sat down next to her son on the sofa.

"SHHH!" They both said together as they carried on watching the screen.

She turned to the screen to see what was so riveting. Some woman was crying hysterically and swearing vengeance to some man. She couldn't quite make out the woman's words, but she knew the woman was pissed off. Then the end credits rolled down the screen quite dramatically.

"Her daughter was kidnapped by some drug lord." Her son told her, shaking his head as if it was a factual drama.

"Riiiight," Regina drew out, standing up, "who wants leftover lasagna? There's enough for you too, Papi.

"Yeah!" Henry Jr squealed. He loved any leftover dinners. Said they always tasted better the next day.

"Thank you, Hermosa. I cannot deny myself your lasagna. Your mother taught you well, may she rest in peace."

"Thanks, Papi. Come on, let's go eat in the kitchen."

The boys got up and followed Regina into the kitchen. They sat at the kitchen island as she reheated their dinner, catching up and asking how each other's day went as they enjoyed the lasagna and red wine - Henry Jr had water. 

Regina was in bed early that night, same time as her son. After her dad had left, Henry had finished up the last bit of his homework and then turned in for the night. Regina was too exhausted to look over the files she had brought home with her. She checked to see if she had any appointments, but her morning seemed to be clear so she decided she could look through them with fresher eyes once her son left for school. She was meeting Emma at the hospital at noon and then had a few appointments after lunch.  
She fell asleep thinking of Emma and how she took 3 sugars in her coffee and still looked amazing. She guessed chasing criminals must be a good way to work out.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma goes to see August in hospital and then she and Regina go to lunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AND HOSPITALISATION. AND DIRE METHODS OF TREATMENT.

Emma was 10 minutes early. She wanted to show Dr Mills that she could be somewhere on time. She had gone to bed quite soon after Graham had left her in peace, telling her that if she needed him, he lived just across the hall at number 14. She had found several frozen microwave meals in August's freezer. She got the cheese and ham quiche out and went to get ready for bed as it cooked in the microwave. She was in bed by 8:30 that night. She just left her dirty dish and an empty glass in the kitchen sink to wash in the morning. 

Emma had texted Dr Mills to let her know she was heading into the hospital and would be waiting for her in the reception area of the psychiatric ward at Mount Sanai West Hospital on Tenth Avenue. She had taken a cab since driving in this city didn't appeal to her. She found herself a comfy seat and got out her phone to play a game as she waited for Dr Mills. 

She had spent the morning with Graham and he told her that August used to have a parking permit for a motorcycle until he crashed it. Emma would probably need to apply for one or just get rid of it which appalled her and she told him to go wash his mouth out with soap. He just chuckled and helped her get in touch with whoever she needed to get the permit. It turned out August still had his permit - and it was suitable for a car or a motorcycle so she was happy. 

Emma's attention was caught by a door opening and Dr Mills walking out whilst talking to another person. A nurse perhaps? She overheard them talking as she stood up to walk towards them.

"We've been giving him 50 mg three times a day." The other woman told Dr Mills.

"I'd bring it down to 25," Regina replied and bid the woman a good afternoon before turning to Emma with a solemn expression. "Don't expect too much." Dr Mills turned to open the door she had just come through and gestured for Emma to go in. Emma just nodded her thanks and went in by herself. Dr Mills left them in privacy.

When Emma saw him, the first thing that shocked her were the restraints. August was strapped down to the hospital bed. Each wrist and each ankle had these leather restraints and he looked completed doped up on medication." He also had big thick white bandages on each wrist. She didn't actually know what his mode of suicide was. She never thought to ask because she didn't want to know. At the end of the day, he had tried to kill himself. Until last night, she had assumed he had overdosed on some drugs. After seeing the big red stain on his living room floor, she had guessed maybe a razor to his arm or wrist. But not both his wrists. 

She walked towards his bed and took one of his hands into both of hers, tears stung her eyes and a lump had formed in her throat. Oh, August.

"Hey, Auggie. Hey, buddy. It's me…" she had to swallow the lump…"Emma." She stayed there for a few more minutes talking to him and reassuring him that she was here now. She wouldn't be going anywhere. 

When Emma finally left August's room, she was pissed off, to say the least. She saw Dr Mills standing by the receptionist's desk talking on the phone to someone. She headed towards the doctor and heard the end of her phone conversation.

"-I have a cancellation, so why don't you meet me…" she looked at the time on her watch "...here at the hospital in an hour, okay? I'm on the third floor." As soon as she ended the call, Emma pounced on her, verbally.

"What the hell is going on here? Why is he strapped down like that?" Emma could feel her ears burn red from her anger.

"His team felt he had to be restrained... " Dr Mils replied calmly.

"Why? She has enough drugs to anaesthetize a whale!" Emma grew more confident enough to raise her voice, now. 

"His team decides... "

"Quit calling them his team! Sounds like he's trying out for the Giants." 

"What should I call them?" Dr Mills was starting to sound annoyed at Emma's attitude. 

"Let's be creative. Call them assholes."

Now Regina was pissed off. "Let me tell you something about those assholes. I'm grateful because they saved your brother's life." Dr Mills said in a sterner tone.

"I don't like-"

"I don't care what you like. He's still a threat to himself. There's no point to this unless we keep August alive. And I don't care if it takes drugs or voodoo or reading the Goddamn tarot cards, I want him alive. Do you understand me?"

Emma looked wide-eyed at the doctor, thinking how scary she sounded, but at the same time beautiful.

"You know, when I'm not picking straw out of my teeth, I'm a very smart woman," Emma smirked.

"I'm sorry." Dr Mills chuckled. "I didn't mean to sound condescending."

"You're tough, Mills...and I'm starving. Any interest in lunch?"

"Only if you let me pay."

"Oh, I insist, I insist." Emma gestured for Dr Mills to lead the way.

The doctor stopped by a small room where she kept her purse before they left the hospital. She didn't bother bringing her jacket as it was a nice and warm spring day. They ended up walking to Central Park, towards the Columbus Circle entrance. It was only about a seven-minute walk. Once there, Emma spied a chilli street food van and Regina chuckled at Emma salivating. They ordered their food - Regina paying for both orders - and thanked the vendor, then walked towards a nearby bench.

"So, did you manage to get into August's apartment alright?" 

"Yeah, thanks again for his address. I probably would have ended up spending the night in my bug." 

"Oh, have you done that before?" Regina sounded concerned.

"Yeah, too many times… I was homeless for a little while after running away from my last foster home. I was seventeen and I lived in this home with five other kids. The foster mother was a mean bitch." Emma saw the doctor's stern look. "What? She was. Only took kids in for the no. EU and only used the money for herself. Anyway, I came home late from the school library one day and as soon as I walked through the front door, I got hit on my face. She was accusing me of stealing money from her. She'd found a stash of it under my bed in a tin box. August had already left the system and every now and then, he'd send me some cash. I had over eight hundred bucks saved in that tin and that biotech took it from me. The more I told her it was mine, the angrier she got. She called me ungrateful, hit me on the other cheek and told me to pack my things and leave. So I did. But on the way out, I saw my tin on the kitchen table so I grabbed and dashed out the front door as fast as I could. I felt like Forrest Gump! Telling myself 'run, Emma, run'!" Emma laughed at that memory. 

"I'm sorry you went through that." The doctor looked and sounded appalled at the story Emma had just told her. 

"Yeah, well, life is like a box of chocolates, right?" Emma shrugged. "Anyway, I spent about a week sleeping rough and then I saw her. A beautiful yellow bug - ended up stealing it when I saw some guy climb out of it without even locking her up. So I took my chance and ran across the street. I quickly looked about and then got in. The keys were even in the ignition!"

"Wait, hang on, are you telling me that you stole your car?" Regina's voice and eyebrows shot up.

"Well, technically speaking no. When I went to start the car, some guy sat up suddenly in the back seat. He had been resting in the back whilst his friend went into the shop. He just laughed when I just about jumped out of my skin. He told me not to worry, he'd stolen the car a week earlier. He had a partner in crime, but he was sick of the guy so he was pretending to sleep in the back and then was going to wait for him to be in the shop before driving away without him. Anyway, he told me to hurry up and drive away before his partner in crime came back. Well, the guy in the back seat? Well, that was Neil. And that's how my life of petty crime truly began." Emma almost sounded proud.

"So you stole a stolen car?" The doctor raised an eyebrow? 

"Hey, don't judge me," Emma chuckled. "But you may judge the guy that made this Chilli con Carne! Holy crap, even I can make better chilli than this tripe." Emma got up from the bench and, noticing Regina's facing and concluding she agreed it wasn't good chilli, grabbed both their lunches and threw them in a nearby trash can. "I'm sorry you had to waste your money on that. Next time, I'll buy lunch."

"No, you're right. It wasn't good." Dr Mills kept sitting as she contemplated her next question. She decided to just be direct."Miss Swan, does "Callanwolde" mean anything to you?" 

Emma flinched for a second but went back to looking normal. "No. Why?"

"August kept repeating it when he first came out of the coma. "Callanwolde, Callanwolde." No?"

"I don't know," Emma said quite abruptly, looking away.

"Okay. Well, I have to get back to the hospital." Regina said as she picked up her purse, which she'd placed on the bench next to her. She then stood up - placing the purse strap on one shoulder - and stepped towards Emma. "I don't work weekends, but I will be calling into the hospital to check up on August. I can't see you on Monday till about 7:30. Is that okay?"

"Oh yeah, sure. Can I go visit him during visiting hours over the weekend?"

"I'm sure that will be fine. Perhaps give the hospital a call first, just to make sure he's ok to receive visitors." 

"Okay thanks," Emma said, putting her hands in her jeans back pockets. 

Regina turned to walk back towards the hospital when she heard Emma shout out to her. She turned back to look at Emma.

"Mills! What's your first name?"

"Why?" The doctor sounded inquisitive.

"Why not?" 

"It's just that my patients call me Dr. Mills."

"But I'm not your patient," Emma smiled.

"Regina." 

"Thank you, doctor. I won't use your name. I just wanted to know it." 

"Be on time," Regina chuckled and walked away.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma explores her new neck of the woods and meets Regina later, recounting a childhood memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've borrowed some dialogue from the film again.  
> Changed some of it up, though.  
> Flashback in this chapter clearly marked at beginning and end of the flashback.
> 
> Also, I went back and changed Henry's desire of wanting to try out football to wanting try out karate. It was in the second chapter if you had read that before I changed it. I just thought that Emma would be better at teaching martial arts rather than football. Plus it will come in as essential in a future chapter.

Emma spent the weekend getting to know her area - discovering a nice little bakery close to her new home (for now) called Vesuvio Bakery. It sold the most amazing Italian Sandwich with a nicely balanced selection of meats, cheeses, pickled peppers and olive oil on a soft baguette. She'd had two of those over the weekend, as well as their selection of baked goods. She also spent a lot of time with August, just talking to him even if he never responded. She knew he was listening to her. She discovered a wonderful independent book shop too and bought a couple of hardbacks. The latest John Grisham one and one called "The Martial Teacher 2". She had the first copy of this book and was excited to find a sequel. Emma had taken various classes in Martial Arts whilst training to be a bails bond person. It was a good form of exercise and although August had taught her some basic self-defence which helped whilst in a foster home or group home setting, she had really to take a professional class. She excelled in Judo and Karate, getting a black belt for each art form. She tried and enjoyed kickboxing too, but preferred the arts she had excelled in. She hadn't done martial arts much, lately, as she was just too busy chasing bail jumpers. That was enough exercise in itself and she often got home exhausted after a day of chasing the offenders.  
She also went running a lot. Mostly around Pier 17, South Street Seaport and East River. On Sunday afternoon she'd come across a seafood market near South Street Seaport, during her run, where she'd spied the most amazing assortment of crayfish. She eyed the shrimp. The man behind the stall noticed her checking them out.

"Eight bucks a pound," he said in a thick Brooklyn accent.

"Eight bucks a pound? For shrimp? Are they fresh?" 

"Yeah! They're today's." 

"They're gorgeous. - I'll take a pound," Emma said quite excitedly. She imagined cooking a nice dinner for Regina, but then shook her head. She was August's shrink for crying out loud. Plus she was straight and married - judging from the huge ring on her finger. And she had mentioned on the phone about having a ten-year-old son. 

She ended up cooking a lovely pasta dish with them for herself and Graham.  
____________________________________________

By Monday evening, Emma had worked herself up into a nervous wreck. She wasn't sure how she was going to help August or which of their childhood stories she should share with Dr Mills. She had decided that whilst in her office, she would be respectful and call Regina by her title. 

She was sitting in the waiting room at 6:40, wanting to impress Regina again with her punctuality. She picked up one of the journals, from a side table, called "Psychological Review". She was mindlessly flicking through the journal, reading titles of articles such as "Cassandra's Regret: The Psychology of Not Wanting to Know". She skimmed through that then carried on. "Appraisal Theory of Empathy and Other Vicarious Emotional Experiences" was another article which grabbed her attention. Flicking over a few more pages, she was shocked to see a picking featuring Dr Mills herself. She had written an article "Development of Childhood Amnesia and a Personal Past". Emma wanted to read it properly so put it aside to ask Dr Mills if she could borrow it. She put it back on the table, away from the other journals, just as the door opened. She was expecting to see Dr Mills, but a man walked out and he looked a little pissed off. He gave her a tight smile when he noticed her sitting there, her mouth open when she realised who he was. World-famous violinist, Robin Locksley. She didn't care much for classical music, but her ex-girlfriend was a big fan of his and had managed to drag her to one of his concerts in Miami. Never again she thought. And here he is in the smarmy flesh. She guessed even famous people needed shrinks. Just as he exited the waiting room, the door to Dr Mills's office opened and she came out. Emma stood up, rubbing her clammy hands down her thighs.

"Miss Swan. Good to see you're on time again," Regina, smiled. "Please, come in." She gestured for Emma to enter her office. 

"Thanks, doc." Emma walked straight to the comfy armchair, she had sat in previously and sat down. "So, how does this work?" Emma gestured by spreading her arms out 

"How does what work?" Regina asked confused as walked towards her seat across from Emma before stopping abruptly. "Would you like a drink before we begin?"

"Got any scotch?" With one look at Regina's expression, she rephrased. "Um, water please."

"Better." Regina walked back to retrieve some fresh water from a mini-fridge she kept cleverly integrated under a sideboard. Regina returned, passing a glass of cold water to Emma before taking her seat. "So, how was your weekend? Did you get settled in ok?" 

"Good, thanks. I saw August again. Just talked to him. Caught him up with my life since we last saw each other four years ago... He's become a good listener... Didn't interrupt me once." Regina just looked at her with her now-famous (to Emma) one eyebrow raised."What? Doesn't he ever interrupt you while you are talking? He used to do that all the time. Fucking annoying!" Emma said, but with a chuckle. "I went exploring my neck of the woods. Discovered a great bakery and a nice independent bookshop. Even bought a couple of hardbacks." Emma said quite excitedly.

"Oh? That's good. Which books did you get?" Regina seemed caught up in Emma's contagious excitement.

"Oh, um, the new John Grisham book: 'A time for Mercy.' And a book about martial arts called 'The Martial Arts Teacher'. It's actually the second book of the same title by the author. The first one was really good, so I'm excited to read this second book." Emma smiled.

"Oh, so did you train in martial arts?"

"Yeah, I did quite a few different forms of it. I have a black belt in Karate and Judo." Emma said, proudly.

"Do you teach martial arts?" 

If Regina sounded excited, it was purely for Henry's sake. Emma picked up on Regina's tone, though.

"Oh, I'd be happy to teach you some time if you want…"

"Oh no, that's ok. So-"

"Oh, and I found the most amazing seafood market down by South Street Seaport. Got the most amazing shrimp - oh I'm sorry, I realised I just totally interrupted you there!" Emma looked embarrassed as she just did what she had accused August of doing to her."

"They must have been good shrimp," Regina said, amused. "That is a good market. Their lobsters are exquisite."

"I'll have to get some next time. August loves all seafood. I prefer shrimp though. We were in a foster home together in South Carolina -that's where we first met each other, by the way - and the dad had his own shrimp boat. He was always bringing home bucket loads. Anyway, one day, Lila - our foster mom - thought she would try to make us all a nice dinner…

*FLASHBACK*

"Shrimp Newburg? For chrissakes, Lila, it's got wine in it! It's garbage!" Jared, the foster dad, pushed his dinner plate away from him in disgust.

"It's elegant food, Jared. And it's gonna get me into Colleton League." Lila said proudly.

"That's a joke. Why do you think they got a Colleton League? To keep people like you out! Jasper!" Jared called the family dog, offering him his dinner plate, but Joop wasn't interested.

"Why do you want to join anyway, Lila, if they don't want you?" Emma asked. 

"Of course they want me. They just don't know it yet."

"Even the dog won't eat it," Jared continued his rant. "Goddamn it! I work hard all day long to come home and eat this shit?"

"I think it's good." Tommy, another little foster kid piped up.

"Who asked you?" Jared growled at Tommy 

"Nobody." Tommy was tearing up, his lips wobbling.

"Nobody." Jared mocked Tommy, then roughly grabbed his chin. "Tip your head up, boy. You ain't gonna cry, are you? What did I tell you about crying? What did I tell you about crying in this house? Put the hands in your lap. Sit up straight! Come on, sit up straight! Are you gonna cry now? Emma, get this little girl one of your dresses."

"Why are you so mean?" August finally asked Jared angrily.

"Jared, why don't I get you another supper?" Lila stood up, wanting to diffuse the situation. "There's leftover hash and rice. I'll heat it up. Gimme a hand, Tom. Emma, you come too."

"You go out in the kitchen with the rest of the girls." Jared sneered at little Tommy.

"Bully on somebody your own size! August told Jared, shoving his arm. 

"Can't anyone take a joke around here?" Jared sneered, shoving August back. At 16, August was quite tall and well built. Jared was tall too, but skinny and no match against August, which is why he never took anything out on him. He knew August was stronger than him and would hit back.

"Leave my dad alone," another boy shouted at August. It was Brad - Lila and Jared's biological. He was a big kid for his age. Also 16, but built like a brick shithouse. He was also in his school's wrestling team. And mean to all the foster kids his parents brought in. 

Emma could hear the conversation taking place in the dining room from the kitchen and wished August would just shut up sometimes, instead of goading Jared or Brad all the time.

"I'll help, Lila," Emma said, wanting a distraction.

"I want you to melt this butter, Emma. Heat up this rice. You chop that onion into fine little pieces, Tom," she said, giving him an onion and a knife which Emma thought was too sharp for a young kid, but she kept quiet. 

"I'm sorry, Mama." Tommy always called Lil mama, probably because he was still young and vulnerable enough, but she let him.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Tommy. Marry into nothing, you get nothing. Add some pepper, Tom. Hand me that Worcestershire sauce," Lila said as she opened a tin of dog food and emptied it into the pan with the rice. "Your mouths are hanging open, kids. Nice and spicy," Lila smiled as she stirred the food together in the pan. She then turned off the stove, plated Jared's new meal and took it out to him, hearing the last bit of his rant. Emma and Tommy followed her out, smirking to themselves.

"All I want is a good, plain American meal!" Jared finished off.

"Here you go, darling." Lila placed the meal in front of Jared. 

"Now, this is food, Lila!" Jared said through a mouthful of food. Even Jasper was trying to get some of it.  
*END OF FLASHBACK*

"So your mother fed him dog food, huh?" Regina chuckled at Emma's recount of a childhood memory.

"My foster mom," Emma corrected Regina, lightly. "He even asked for a second helping," Emma chuckled here.

"Maybe you got your sense of humour from your -from Lila," Regina quickly corrected herself. 

"Very funny. We weren't there long enough, anyway. Hey, I saw Robin Locksley come out of your office. He sure can play the fiddle." 

"You're changing the subject."

"What's wrong with him?" Emma asked and Regina glared back at her. "Just kidding. I can't believe anybody with that kind of money has troubles."

"Are you really that provincial?"

"Oh, hell, yes. So is August. When we were at that foster home, the only way to get off the island was by boat. We were on a tidal plain."

"A tidal plain? What does that mean?"

"Tides mean everything, Mills. They measure everything. Moods, seasons, the time to plant... ...to fish, to mate. It's primitive. Biological clocks ticking all over the place." 

"Sounds like a nice way to live." Emma just hummed. "Can you tell me anything good about your childhood?" 

"No."

"Try." Regina left no room to deny her.

"Hmmm, ok, two really good things: Tommy and August. Incredible people. Passionate, defiant…

" Oh, Tommy was the other foster boy who called Lila mama, right?" Emma just nodded, a lump forming in her throat. "Are you still in touch with him?" 

"He's dead," Emma said gravely. 

"I'm sorry to hear that." 

Emma got up from her seat, pacing the room. Regina turned in her chair to look at her.

"What about you?" Regina asked.

"Oh, I was a courteous Southern girl that did what she was told. I was responsible and normal and dull." Emma looked at Regina as she said this, earning another raised eyebrow. "Well, semi-responsible until I ran away and met Neal." 

"I don't know what normal is, and you're anything but dull."

"Compared to them, I was."

"Your brother's in the hospital, and Tom's dead. You must be doing something right."

Emma just hummed as she found herself looking out the window again. It had started to rain since she got here.

Regina looked at her watch. "You can go now, Miss Swan."

"Huh?" Emma looked back at Regina, confused.

"Time's up," Regina said as she stood up tapping her watch.

"Great! Oh, can I borrow one of those magazine journal things you have out there, please? I was reading an article earlier, while I was waiting. I never finished it."

"Of course." Regina was surprised. "Keep it. Um… which article?"

"Thanks, Good night! Emma shot out of there. She didn't want to tell Regina it was her article.

"Good night, Miss Swan," Regina said more to herself, eyebrows furrowed as Emma rushed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used titles from the following articles in a a journal called "Psychological Review. These were samples. 
> 
> Sample Articles  
> Psychological Review®  
> Cassandra's Regret: The Psychology of Not Wanting to Know (PDF, 200KB)  
> March 2017  
> by Gerd Gigerenzer and Rocio Garcia-Retamero  
> An Appraisal Theory of Empathy and Other Vicarious Emotional Experiences (PDF, 151KB)  
> July 2015  
> by Joshua D. Wondra and Phoebe C. Ellsworth  
> A Complementary Processes Account of the Development of Childhood Amnesia and a Personal Past (PDF, 585KB)  
> April 2015  
> by Patricia J. Bauer


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma continues her sessions with Regina, gets an unexpected phone call and speaks to Graham when he pops over to invite her to a party at his place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING. Mentions of stillbirth.

So this began a series of confessional days, where Emma spun out the history of August's past... (from the moment they met in that foster home, anyway) to keep him alive. By the second week, she had developed the New York willies. The guilt that every out-of-towner feels... ... if she's not improving her mind every goddamn second. She made a list of things she should do. Museums, plays, run six miles in under 50 minutes. See three foreign films all at the same time. Anything not to feel guilty. 

"Emma, how old was August when you first realized... ... something was wrong with him?"

"Hmmmmmm, about 15. It wasn't long after I got to that foster home. August had been there for about a year before I got there. He had seen many things that he probably shouldn't have. He never would divulge any of it to me. But he stayed for Lila. She could be a nasty bitch but she had her good days and August felt a bit protective over her since he saw how Jared and Brad treated her. For being her biological son, Brad was a disgusting pig. He said things to her that no son should ever say to his mother - biological or not." Emma's tone was one of dark disgust, her scowl enough to warn Regina not to ask.

"Did anything specific happen to August?" Regina inquired gently. She realised this was a sensitive subject for Emma.

"Well, when I first got there, Lila was heavily pregnant. She was about to pop, or so I thought. I was 12 at the time. Anyway, just a couple of weeks later, she went into labour at home. She had the baby at home. It was stillborn. She told us it died because we were bad. Anyway, we were gonna bury it the next day...so Jared wrapped it in some towels and put it in the freezer. That night, I got up to get a drink of water... ...and I saw August sitting in the rocking chair...with the dead baby in his arms. He was saying..."You're the lucky one because you don't have to live with us." And just kept rocking the dead baby."

"Did you say anything to him?" Regina asked as she quietly wrote notes down. 

Emma shook her head. "The next day I did, but he didn't remember anything about it. When I told him, he said... ..."Why would anyone do a crazy thing like that?" 

"So you were his memory even then?" Regina hummed.

"I guess so," Emma just shrugged.  
____________________________________________

"Goddamn locks! I'm coming! I'm coming!" Emma muttered under her breath. She had just arrived back at the apartment when her mobile phone had started to ring. She had a shopping bag in one hand and was trying to unlock the door with the other. She finally managed to open the door and kicked it closed behind her, running to the kitchen to deposit her groceries. 

The phone was still ringing when she could finally answer it.

"Hello," she said, without checking the caller id. 

"Where the hell are you?" Emma gasped and looked at her phone to check the caller id. It said "Number Unknown". But she didn't need it to know that voice.

"Lily?"

"Yes, Emma, it's me. Your fiance. Or have you forgotten me already!?"

"Uh… you left me four months ago, Lily. I got home from work one night to see a note stuck to the fridge door saying: " Sorry, I can't do this anymore." Or did you crash and hit your head and get amnesia?" Emma was really angry. Lily had left her like that twice. The first time, blamed herself -she was young and naive. Emma was so in love with Lily and took her back after Lily had left for two months without even a note. Emma thought she had done something wrong. They had been together for a year before the first time Lily had left. Then when she came back and Emma had forgiven her, they had been together for three years. Lily had even fucking proposed to Emma. Then just three weeks later, she left again. At least she had left a note the second time around. Emma was completely heartbroken, but also very angry at Lily. But mostly angry at herself for trusting someone so much. Love was a weakness, one of her foster mothers had once told her. She was right.

"I told you what I was like, Emma. About my broken childhood and also being an orphan-"

"You had parents, for fucks sake Lily! You were one of the lucky ones who got adopted in their teens."

"They aren't my real parents, Emma! You should know how important that is!"

"DNA doesn't matter! They loved you as if you were their own flesh and blood. I would have killed for something like that…." Emma trailed off.

"Well, you gave away your baby! What does that say about you, huh? He's living the same rotten life you were subjected to and that's your fault!"

"No, it's not. I didn't leave him on the roadside covered in just a blanket in the middle of winter in Maine." Emma said, eerily calm. "Now I'm going to hang up, Lily. Do not - and I mean this from the bottom of my heart - do NOT call me back. Ever again. Good-bye, Lily." With that, Emma hung up and went to unload her groceries in as calm a manner as she could. Her mood was ruined, so after that, she took a quick shower and went to bed early, skipping dinner entirely. Now if anyone knew Emma Swan, they would know how much she loved food and never missed an opportunity to eat. If she did, then she must have been ill.  
_____________________________________________

"...took me a few years to tell August about my secret. And when I did, he just fell on the floor, howling. Apparently Lila had each of us - and Tom too - into that room... ...and told them exactly the same thing. That she loved us the most out of all her children. Even more than Brad. Though that wasn't hard to believe," Emma rolled her eyes. "Lila made us promise not to tell anyone."

"Why did you tell me that story?" Regina finally asked when Emma had taken a moment to catch her breath. She had come into her office agitated and just started telling her this story.

"To prove that Lila would... Just to show why August could never trust her."

"You mean why you could never trust her," Regina challenged Emma.

"I'm sorry," Emma said sarcastically, "that's the wrong story. Let's just skip it... ...and I'll try to think of a better one." Emma was pacing the office, her hand going through her hair or over her face. 

"What's bothering you?" Emma was clearly upset.

"Global warming, acid rain, the national debt... And my ex-fiance phoned me out of the blue, asking me where the hell I am. She's the one who left me, for fuck sake. Twice! I took her back the first time she left and came back. She promised not to do that again. She even proposed to me and I said yes! Jesus! I feel like such an idiot. I never even knew it was going on. I thought everything was great between us then BAM! I come home to find a fucking note on the fridge - "

"Maybe you weren't paying attention," Regina said calmly.

"Bullshit! Let's face it, Mills. I know I'm a lesbian and going against my own sex, but women are more devious than men. We're great at hiding things. We keep secrets-"

"You've not met Mary Margaret," Regina grumbled to herself. Emma just ignored that remark because who the fuck is Mary Margaret, anyway.

"-We smile when we lie. We expect our partners to be a tower of strength. When she's got a few weaknesses and insecurities, what do we do? We turn around, and goddammit, we betray her!"

"So you feel that Lila betrayed you?"

"I was talking about my ex-fiance! Oh, God, I hate this Freudian crap," Emma said whilst pacing yet again. "It's not your job to listen to my problems. I'd like to go now."

"You're free to leave anytime." 

"Good!" Goddamn shrink. Who was Emma kidding? She was a champion at keeping secrets. Better than anyone she ever knew. Until Regina Mills came along. Emma was a woman who never talked...now she is doing nothing else. Regina's questions were making Emma as dizzy as Regina's perfume. Emma finally got home after ranting to herself all the way home. She'd had a late afternoon session on that Friday afternoon and was now ready for a weekend free from non-stop talking. She was going to have a nice relaxing evening watching Netflix and ordering takeout from a Chinese takeaway she had recently discovered nearby. And a glass of gin. She discovered August had a bar that was well stocked with all types of liquor. She was surprised since she only ever saw him drink beer. Sometimes whisky, but not often as it made him super sleepy super fast. Coincidentally, Emma had ended up falling asleep on the sofa and woke up on Saturday morning by a big bang on her door. She shot up with a fright and then discovered a long string of drool sliding down her chin as Graham entered with coffee and cinnamon sugar Bearclaws from Vesuvio Bakery. 

"Nice look, Swan. I'm assuming you didn't Netflix and chill last night?" Graham placed her coffee and baked goods on the coffee table in front of her as she stretched. 

"You assume correctly," she said through her stretch. "Thanks for this." She sat and took a big bite out of her Bearclaw. "So, what's up?" She took a drink from her coffee and moaned. "Mmmmmm. Good coffee. You remembered my sugar too." Emma smiled at Graham.

"Of course. How could I forget the amount of sugar you take and yet remain so skinny. I remember meeting you all those years ago in Juvie. You were skinny then. You are almost just as skinny now."

"Hey, watch it." Emma playfully kicked him. "I remember you only had eyes for Ruby. Can't believe you never got fired for sleeping with her. She was an inmate for crying out loud!" Emma laughed. 

"She was mature for her age. I couldn't help it. Loved her the first time I saw her. We were kindred spirits, or so I thought." Graham grew sombre, thinking of how Ruby just left him for a little pip-squeak of a man. He looked like a mouse. Whereas he was more of a wolf. 

"Her loss, Graham." Emma put a hand on his shoulder. 

"Yeah… anyway, I'm having a party tonight at my place. Lots of booze and single girls. Come. You need to get laid!"

"Ha, ain't that the truth. Hey, you'll never guess who called me on Thursday night!"

"No…!"

"Yes! Can you believe it! And she had the nerve of accusing me of giving up my baby after my shitty time in the system. Grrrrrr! I was so pissed off, I went to bed without dinner!"

Graham whistled. "Holy shit. Sorry, Swan. You know you gave your kid the best chance in life, right? Dave did a great job giving you the name of that adoption agency. Your kid has a loving family. You were just 18. I know you loved him, Em. You loved him so much. What you did was selfless. Don't forget that." 

He gave Emma a tight hug when he noticed how emotional she had become. "Come tonight," he whispered in her ear as he rubbed her back then kissed her cheek. He then released her and held Emma at arm's length. "Lots of pretty girls will be there. Even just talking might be good for you. Don't hide away here." He then walked back towards her door, stealing a banana from the fruit bowl on the kitchen counter on his way out.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma meets Regina at Grahams party...

"Excuse me. Would you like to dance?"

Emma had literally just walked through the door into Graham's apartment when she got accosted by some guy.

"Who, me?" she asked, looking around to make sure he was actually asking her. 

"Yes, you," he said and grabbed her hand. Emma tried to pull back, protesting that she didn't dance. "Come on. Come on, just loosen up!"

"Hands to yourself! She's spoken for," Graham said over the loud music, pulling Emma away to safety. "How's Auggie? When can I see him?" Emma had mentioned she was going to visit him later that day.

"I don't know, Graham. It's like talking to a fern." Emma grimaced as she said this.

"Well, I'm glad she's improving. Come on, let's dance." Graham pulled her back onto the dance floor. 

"Give me a break, Gray. I'm a lousy dancer." Emma tried pulling away. She didn't like dancing. Unless there was a beautiful woman in her arms and it was a slow dance.

"Walk on the wild side, Emma! You're in the big city!"

"Oh, hell. All right... " Emma hadn't gone dancing for a while so she just moved her arms and hips to the blaring music, not knowing what the hell she was doing.

"God, you are a lousy dancer! Go mingle. Get in here. Get into the party." 

Graham waved her off as she walked further into the apartment. Emma noticed Regina watching her from a distance. She was leaning against a wall, one arm across her chest as she held a wine glass in the other hand. Regina was in a smart white skirt suit which showed off her olive skin. She looked beautiful, to say the least. Her hair was also different. It was all wavy as opposed to the straight and sleek long bob she usually styled. She had a gold chain around her neck with a pendant showcasing the letter "R" with a crown on top. And to finish off her look, she was smirking at Emma who was now standing before her pointing a finger. "Don't laugh." Regina did. "You're laughing!"

"I'm sorry," Regina said, still smirking.

"I'm surprised to see you here." 

"Why? I like Graham."

"How the hell do you two even know each other? You are both so different from each other."

"Well, he was my sister, Zelena's, friend first. Zelena is a lawyer and Graham is in the police force-"

"That, he is… sorry, go on." She caught Regina's glare for being interrupted.

"...Anyway, he helped her win a case with his testimony. They became… friends. Then she brought him to my home, one night, for a dinner party my husband and I were throwing - this was about a year ago - and we hit it off. I see-"

"Friends? Are they dating?" Emma couldn't recall Graham telling her he was dating anyone new since Ruby left him.

"Oh, um," Regina sounded like she was unsure what to disclose, "more like friends with benefits…" she whispered the last bit.

Emma burst out laughing, putting a hand over her mouth. "Ha! Looks like I have the ammunition I need to tease him now. Thanks, Doc!"

Regina just smiled back. "You and Graham are friends, then?"

"Oh yeah, well, I actually know Gray from way back... "

"Oh? So you've not just met him when you moved into August's place?" Regina asked, surprised.

"Nah, he was one of the - ahem - guards at the juvie I was sent to."

"Really? So you've known him a long time."

"Yep." Emma didn't want to talk about Graham or her past, now, so she changed the subject. "You know, I... You really pissed me off yesterday. But you made me think about some things."

"Don't make it a habit, or I'll have to start charging you," Regina smirked again. That smirk!

"Oh, you do have a sense of humour! I was beginning to think you had it surgically removed!" 

Regina just smiled, then took another sip of her white wine. 

"You look mighty pretty tonight." 

Regina looked down into her almost finished wine glass as she blushed. "Thank you. Are you alright?"

"Oh, God, I'm great. I'm just great. Now that I finished lying, can I ask you to dance?" Regina shook her head no, but that didn't stop Emma. "You'd be the first woman I've danced with in New York."

"I'd rather not. I just watched you dancing. I'd like to keep my feet intact." 

"Come on, Mills. Walk on the wild side, or should I say dance? It's a party. This is a slow dance, anyway, and that I can do without stepping on your toes. Don't worry, I can't dance and make a pass at the same time. I lose count." Emma took Regina's now empty wine glass, placing it on a nearby table, then took her hand, leading her to the dancefloor. They danced to an Eric Clapton song ironically titled "Wonderful Tonight" because that Is exactly how Regina looked tonight. "You came alone?" Emma finally asked.

"Yeah, it's funny. I never went anywhere alone until I got married."

"Well, that speaks well for matrimony."

"No, it's just that... ...my husband travels a lot." 

"What does he do?"

"You know, it's late. I really should go." 

Emma released her hold on Regina, not wanting to make her feel trapped.

"I'll take you home," Emma practically begged. She needed fresh air, anyway.

"No, it's okay. I'm fine."

"I'm a Southerner, ma'am. We take our ladies home."

Regina relented and let Emma escort her out once she had said goodbye to Graham who had thanked her for coming and kissed her on the cheek before winking cheekily at Emma. 

Once they were out in the fresh air, walking towards Regina's apartment, Emma spoke again.

"How do you do it? How do you listen to people's sob stories? Doesn't it depress you?"

"No, not if I think I can help them. Anyway, you learn to separate your patients' problems from your own. Tell me something. Did you ever wanna write like August?"

"You're changing the subject, Mills," Emma chuckled.

"Am I?" Emma nodded. "It's a technique I'm learning from you!" 

"There he is again," Emma said as they walked past a window display featuring Robin Locksley and advertising his tour. She stopped and pointed at the poster."You see him? That guy is following me. So you're a shrink to the stars, huh?"

"He's not my patient. He's my husband." Regina said, almost sadly.

"No kidding? Robin-fucking-Locksley is your husband?" Emma was truly shocked.

"Robin Locksley is my husband, yes."

"How'd you meet him?" Emma asked as they began walking again.

"I saw him perform at Carnegie Hall. I was 22 years old. I had never heard anything like it. I mean, that kind of... ...passion, artistry, whatever you call it. It's like August's. They have that gift to make people feel. I fell in love with him instantly." 

Emma couldn't explain why she felt jealous, but that was her first emotion after hearing Regina speak of her husband. "So you married him, and then you lived happily ever after, huh?"

"I married him," was all Regina offered. 

"Are you telling me that mine isn't the only screwed up relationship?"

"I'm not telling you anything more." 

"Wait. No fair. I spill my guts. I tell you my ex-girlfriend troubles. But you've got nothing to say? I think it's your turn to give a little. Come on, Mills, be human. Talk to me. Tell me about yourself." 

"I can't. Why are there never any cabs?" Regina asked, looking at the street and trying to avoid Emma's eyes.

"Look, I'll ask you a few simple questions, and you just answer. Simple?"

"Very simple." 

"What's your father's name? 

"Henry."

"What's your favourite car?"

"I like the old Ford Woodies."

"Oh, those are cool. Is that what you drive?"

"No, I don't own a car now. I used to have a Mercedes, but I just found it was not great for driving in the city."

"Okay. Who's the first... person you ever kissed?" Emma knew she was being sneaky asking Regina that, but she had to try to see if Regina was completely straight. A woman being married to a man didn't mean anything these days. Seemed like Regina knew her game plan as she gave her a knowing look before answering.

"Daniella Berkowitz. She was very cute." 

Emma just hummed, taking in that little piece of information.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you look in that suit?" 

Regina blushed brightly. "Is this "Make Mills Feel Better Day"? 

"And you've got a great smile. You should smile more."

"Now stop, Miss Swan."

"Hey, it's Emma out of the office. And you don't believe me, do you?" Regina didn't respond, instead just walking without looking at Emma. "Come here. Let me show you something." Emma stopped in front of another window display and pointed. "Come here. Let me show you -"

"A painting?"

"No, you. Look at you." Emma stood behind her - she was a head taller than Regina - and pointed. "You. Your face, your smile, your suit. I'm talking great stuff here. Beautiful." She smiled as she caught Regina's eyes in the reflection of the window.

"Okay, you convinced me. Now, would you please get me a cab?"

"Sure." 

Emma managed to hail a cab pretty quickly and before she knew it, they had stopped in front of a grand looking entrance to an apartment building.

"Come up for a minute. I'd like you to meet my son."

"Sure. Okay." Emma wasn't expecting to get invited up, so was quite happy to be spending a bit more time with Regina. 

"Come on in." Regina said when they got to her apartment. She led them into a grand looking entrance hall and then opened the door to the living room. Her dad and Henry were watching "Jurassic Park", but her dad paused immediately when they saw Regina enter, followed by another woman.

"Regina, carinho. Did you have a nice time? I was expecting you home later. Who is your friend?" Henry Sr had stood up to greet his daughter's guest. 

"Papi, Henry, this is Emma Swan. Emma, this is my father, Henry. And my son, also Henry."

"Hi," Emma waved shyly. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Swan." Henry Sr replied, politely shaking her hand. 

"Oh please, just call me Emma," she smiled back.

Henry Jr just smiled at Emma shyly.

"Henry," Regina addressed her son, "Miss Swan has a black belt in Karate and Judo.

Ahhhhhh! So it seems her son is interested in martial arts. That's why she got so excited about martial arts in her office that time, Emma thought to herself.

"Oh, yeah? That's so cool. So can you do all that karate kid stuff like in the films?"

Emma just laughed. "Oh yeah, kid, and more." She winked at him. Something about his face looked familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. 

"So, are you going to teach me!?" Henry asked, excitedly."

"Oh, well…"

"If Miss Swan agrees, I'll let you try some one-on-one lessons with her." Regina felt guilty dropping this on Emma unexpectedly. Perhaps she should have asked before but the idea just popped into her head as the cab stopped in front of her apartment building.

"I'm sure we can arrange something, kid. I do need a job after all." 

"So how did you two meet?" Henry Sr asked.

"Oh, um. can I tell him, Regina. Or is it confidential?"

"Sure, but no specifics about my patient, Miss Swan."

"Okay, well, Regina is my brother's doctor. I've moved to New York after finding out he….hurt himself?" She looked to Regina who just nodded. "Anyway, I'm just helping her figure out why he did what he did while he recovers."

"Where are you from? Your accent's different," Henry Jr asked.

"Well, I grew up in the south, mostly. I was a foster kid, you see. I met my brother in one of my foster homes in South Carolina. But I've spent most of my adult life in Florida. Tallahassee to be more precise." 

"I see," Henry Sr responded. "Well, your brother is in excellent hands. My daughter is a very good psychologist."

"Papi!" 

"What? It's true, carinho."

"She sure is, Sir. I read an article she wrote in a magazine journal called "Psychological Review". I was impressed. Plus she has been really great these past few weeks since I've met her." Emma smiled at Regina, who looked shocked.

"You read one of my articles?" Regina asked, truly surprised.

"Yeah, remember I asked you if I could borrow that magazine last week? It was great and informative. And if you've written more, then I would like to read them."

"Thank you, Emma. I'll have to look some out for you." Regina was blushing.

"Don't be modest, Regina. You certainly know what you are talking about," Emma said in awe.

"Oh mom, before I forget: Dad called from San Francisco today. He said to say hi to you when I saw you. And that he will be home in a couple of weeks."

"Thanks, sweetheart. Did you practice this afternoon?"

"Mmmm, a little. I've been reading most of the afternoon."

"Henry, come on, you know I don't ask much of you…." Henry looked at her in disbelief…" okay maybe I do, but if you want those karate lessons then the least you can do is practice your violin."

"You play the violin!?" Emma asked. "That's great, kid. You'll have to play for me sometime."

"I have a concert next Friday evening. I'm sure my mom could get you a ticket if you want to see me." 

"You have your own concert? Wow!"

"Not just me," Henry Jr giggled, "it's a whole group of violinists and some other string instruments. I do have a solo, though." Henry sounded embarrassed.

"Which I can't wait to hear, my little Prince."

"Mom, please stop calling me that. I'm almost eleven!"

"Okay, okay," Regina raised her hands."I can get you a ticket, Emma. But please don't feel like you have to come."

"Oh, I really want to now!"

"Oh good, in that case, we can save you a seat next to us," Henry Sr declared brightly. 

"Well, it's getting late so I better get home to my sad and depressing apartment," Emma chuckled.

"See you soon, Emma! It was nice to meet you." Henry Jr said, politely.

"Likewise, Emma." Henry Sr said as he shook her hand again.

"You too, sir." Emma shook his hand, noticing again how big and strong they were. He was a kind-looking man, also olive-skinned like Regina's. She then looked at the smaller Henry. "Cheers, kid. I'll arrange some karate lessons with your mom."

"Thanks!" Henry Jr said, excitedly waving goodbye.

Regina walked Emma to her door. 

"Sorry for bombarding you with that. I just realised when we got here in the cab that it would be the perfect opportunity to introduce you to him. I hope I haven't overstepped. You just sounded so excited when you spoke about martial arts and Henry has been hounding me for lessons-"

"Regina, it's ok. I'd be happy to teach Henry. It will give me something else to do." 

"Well, that's why I brought you here to meet him. I thought that maybe you could teach him a couple of days a week. You see, he never gets a chance to do much while his father's around. Robin's on tour. I thought maybe…"

"Is this a job offer?" Emma asked, curiously.

"Yes, and I would insist on paying you. What would you consider a reasonable rate?"

"What are your rates?" 

"I charge $150 an hour."

"Fine, I'll take it."

"You must be a very good teacher," Regina said, eyes wide.

"Forget it, Mills. I'm not a charity case yet. Tell Henry we'll start Monday. Let me know what time so I can work around seeing August or yourself."

"Okay, Good. Good night, Emma." 

Regina opened her door to let Emma out.

"Good night, Regina." And she left, still thinking of Henry Jr's familiar features.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry gets his first Karate lesson

Emma didn't do much on Sunday except sleep until noon and then texted Regina to arrange a suitable time for her to meet Henry for their first Karate lesson. This would not be her first time teaching kids the art of karate. She taught a group in Tallahassee at her local gym during the summer one year. She enjoyed it immensely, but couldn't commit due to her busy schedule at work. She had wondered about opening her own dojo, but she needed a lot of money for that. Something she didn't have. Suffice to say, she was pretty excited about teaching Henry. And perhaps she could get Regina to join in a few lessons. It was always a good idea to learn self-defence. Especially for a woman as small and petite as Regina, though she was sure Regina could probably just kick someone whilst wearing her high heels and land them in ICU. Those heels of hers looked hella sharp and lethal. Then again, she shouldn't assume that Regina didn't know how to defend herself, physically, just because of her size. But Emma did know Regina could cut down anyone of any size with that sharp tongue of hers.

They agreed on Henry meeting Emma at the Sheep Meadow, in Central Park. It would be after school and Regina's dad would accompany him since he picked Henry up from school anyway. Emma had suggested somewhere outdoors so that they could get fresh air and the weather was getting warmer now that Spring was here. 

Emma was waiting by a tree doing some stretches when the two Henrys showed up. 

"Hey, Emma!" Henry Jr called out to her, excitement in his voice.

Emma got up from a stretch and turned to greet them. "Hey, Henry. Hello Mr Mills." 

"Oh, none of that Mr Mills. Call me Henry. Hope you are well, Emma." Henry Sr smiled kindly at Emma.

"Yes, thanks. Doesn't it get confusing when people call your name when you're together?" 

"Yes, it can get confusing sometimes, but when we are with family or friends then my grandson gets called Hen. Or kid, in your case," Henry Sr. winked at Emma.

"Oh, okay," Emma turned to Henry Jr, "what would you prefer I call you?" 

"I don't mind kid when it's just us, but don't call me that in front of my dad. He hates that word and I'd hate for him to chew you out over it. If he is ever around, just call me Henry. If my grampa is also with us, then Hen is fine." Henry Jr smiled at Emma but had said all this in a very grown-up way. It was hard to believe he was only ten. 

"Thanks for the heads up, kid," Emma chuckled. "Put your bag on that bench there and then come do some stretches with me, okay?"

Henry did as he was told, and was soon standing in front of Emma again. His grampa was sitting on the bench, watching them with interest. Emma didn't mind parents or grandparents watching her teach their kids. It just meant they cared enough which was great in her opinion. 

They started with stretches and then Emma talked about the history of martial arts, karate in particular since that was what Henry wanted to learn. She asked him why he wanted to learn it.

"Well, I've had problems with bullies at school. I just want to be able to fight back."

"I understand that, kid. Being an orphan, I got bullied a lot at school and in the various group and foster homes I was put in. But before we start, I need you to understand that karate is about self-defence. Not about starting a fight just to show the bullies that you can fight too. Okay? The bravest thing anybody can do is to walk away from a fight. Never initiate one. I will teach you how to defend yourself and I will teach you well. But I don't want to hear from your mom that you started any fight otherwise these lessons will end. Okay, kid?"

"Yes, ma'am." Henry seemed quite scared of a serious Emma. But he knew she meant well.

"Okay, enough with the ma'am, kid," Emma chuckled. "Let's do this," she winked at him.

Emma started with the basics and after an hour, they were both sweating and Emma called it a day.

"I thought you were going to make me do a bunch of chores, painting your fence or waxing your car," Henry told Emma afterwards as he walked - and panted - towards the bench where his grampa was waiting for him."

"You've watched "Karate Kid" too many times, kid!" Emma chuckled as she walked towards the bench with him.

Henry Sr stood up as they approached. "That was very impressive, Emma. Did you enjoy your lesson, Nieto?"

"Yeah, Abuelo, I can't wait to tell mom all about it." Henry Jr was excited. He turned back to look at Emma, "When is our next lesson, Emma? Should I be calling you Sensei?"

"Emma is just fine, kid," Emma laughed. "And it depends on when you are available. Don't you need to practice your violin? The concert is on Friday. How about we aim for Saturday? If you are free. I'm seeing your mom later so I can discuss it with her then?"

"Cool! Thanks, Emma. I don't think we had any plans except for lunch with Aunty Kat." 

"Okay, well I'll see you on Friday evening anyway, kid. Go practice your violin. I can't wait to hear you play!" Emma ruffled his hair then instantly regretted it. "Ewww! You're all sweaty, kid! Go home and hit the shower before you do anything else. I don't want your mom blaming me for you getting sweat stains on your fancy sofas!"

"Emma is right, Nieto," Henry Sr chuckled. "Your mamá would be very angry and quite disgusted. Plus, you smell bad. Let's get you home."

"Hey, are you Spanish? Sorry, it's just that your surname doesn't sound very Spanish." Emma had heard them speak a few Spanish words and seeing both Regina and her dad, they did have the olive-skinned Latina vibe going for them. Well, Latino for Henry Sr. But Henry Jr was quite pale in comparison to them. Maybe he took after his dad.

"I'm from Puerto Rico, Emma. And Regina's mom was Italian. Mills has been changed from the name "Molinos" which literally means Mills. When my family moved to America, it was better for us to have a more "American sounding name".

"Oh, I'm sorry you had to change it. Molinos has a nice sound to it. I apologise for being nosy. And I'm sorry for your loss."

"You're just being inquisitive, Emma. That's not a bad quality to have. And thank you. Yes, we lost Cora last year. Dementia. Okay, I guess we better go now. Get this niño in the shower ASAP!"

"Gee, thanks, Abuelo! Bye Emma, thanks for my lesson. See you on Friday!" 

"Bye, kid. Goodbye, Henry." Emma waved them off, then grabbed her backpack from the bench and walked home. She also needed a shower so she didn't dare get a cab or any other public transport for fear of getting kicked out for her stench.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know nothing about karate or martial arts except what I saw/heard on Karate Kid!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma wonders who Rafael Halpern is and Regina books an Uber home from work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrote this at 2 in the morning. Very tired noiw so please excuse mistakes.

It took Emma just over an hour to walk back to her apartment from Sheep Meadow. She took her time enjoying the scenery of the park and it was just after five when she got into the building. She quickly checked to see if there was any mail before going up to August's apartment. She would probably need to start looking for her own place once August got back home. She found a few bills and an official-looking letter from a book publishing company addressed to Refael Halpern. Who the hell is Refael Halpern? Emma thought as she closed the post box back up. She had seen a few open letters addressed to this Refael guy on August's desk in his makeshift office and it looked like his poems were being published. She had even read a few of them. 

Just then, Graham appeared. He stopped to check his own post box on his way out. 

“Hey, Graham. Did you ever hear of Refael Halpern?”

“No, who is he?"

"I don't know, but he writes poems about growing up   
Jewish in Brooklyn. Was he staying with August recently?” 

“Not that I know of. Of course, I've been out of town a lot. Hey, are we still on for drinks on Saturday?”

“Oh, what time again?”

“Well, the best time to go is probably eleven.”

“Eleven!? That’s late! I’ll be ready for my bed at that time.” Emma was feeling old now. 

“What are you? Sixty? Even my Granny stays out later than you!”

“Why don’t you ask Zelena? I heard she’s a friend of yours...with benefits?” Emma winked at Graham and quickly made her way to the lift which had just opened when someone came out of it. She turned around to press number eight and caught Graham’s shocked expression with his mouth open. Emma silently thanked Regina for that little bit of information as she smiled all the way up to her floor. 

Emma went for a long hot shower and then had leftovers from last night's dinner before making her way back out for another session with Regina. She couldn’t understand how Regina could work so late and was going to ask her about it. She'd hate to be responsible for keeping Regina from seeing her son before he goes to bed at night. 

Just as she was about to leave for her appointment, her phone rang. She checked the caller id before answering and saw It was Regina.

"Hey, Doc. I was just about to head over to your office."

"I'm glad I caught you then. Would you mind coming over to my apartment please? I came home early today as my office air conditioner has broken down and to be honest, I just couldn't stand being there a moment longer than necessary. I do have a home office we could use for privacy."

"Oh, sure, okay. Are you sure you want me to come over, though? You sound exhausted."

"Yes, please come. We still have a lot of ground to cover. I've brought August's file home with me."

"Okay, I was just going to drive over. Is there parking near your apartment? I'd rather not get an Uber again." Emma shivered at the thought of the guy that drove her home from Regina's on Saturday night. He seemed to know Regina lived there and the things he said were inappropriate to say the least. Seems like he was crushing hard on her, which Emma couldn't blame him for. Regina is a beautiful woman, after all. But something about this middle-aged man rubbed her the wrong way. Something else she should speak to Regina about.

"Oh, yes, there's parking reserved for you in front of the entrance. I'll text you my GPS details."

"Okay, thanks. I'll see you in about 30 minutes. Bye, Doc."

"Goodbye, Miss Swan."  
__________________________________________

Regina was exhausted after she had seen her last patient. It had been a long day for her. She had been to see August that morning and he was still in his catatonic state. She was feeling helpless and felt Emma's stories and support were very important in his recovery. She had been told by one of the nurses that after every one of Emma's visits, he seemed to show more brain activity after she had been reading his own poems to him, as well as a collection of his short stories, hoping something from the poems or stories would trigger a memory of some sort or just snap him out of it. So yes, Emma was important. Then that afternoon, after lunch, she had seen four patients almost back to back - each one with their own set of problems. The last patient she saw left her office a bit more positive about their future, at least. Then, as she was typing some notes down into her laptop, she heard strange whirring sounds coming from the air conditioning box. It sounded like something was banging it from the inside and then there was a bang - which literally made her jump from her seat. Then there was nothing. She went to inspect it, pressing all the buttons, but nothing happened. It was quite stuffy in her office and even with the windows wide open - which she wouldn't want anyway because she was on the first floor - it was still unbearable. She wondered about just calling it a day and going home, but after hearing about August's response to Emma visiting him, talking to him and reading to him; she wanted Emma to know that she is helping. She could just phone Emma, when she got home, and ask her to come to the apartment instead. Yes, she'd do that.

She booked an Uber which arrived to pick her up just as she stepped out onto the sidewalk. Unfortunately, it was Mr Glass in the driver's seat. With Uber, you cannot request a specific driver. She wished she had called Mr Colter directly like he had requested, but she was desperate to get home so she got in. 

"Good evening, Mr Glass, how do you do?" she asked as she clipped in her seatbelt. Regina was nothing if not well mannered, nervous or not.

"Much better for seeing you, now, Dr Mills," he replied. "And yourself?" He smiled brightly at her through the rearview mirror.

"Fine, thank you." And she ended the conversation. The less she had to speak to him, the better. She couldn't remember ever telling him her title. Had he looked her up? She did notice him watching her through the rearview mirror again, everytime he stopped at a set of traffic lights. She thought back to her conversation with Mr Colter about rating drivers. She would definitely be giving him a 1 at the very most. She didn't plan on being another crazy middle-aged serial killer's statistic.

As the Uber arrived at her apartment building, Mr Glass casually mentioned picking up her friend from her apartment building last Saturday evening and commented on how unpleasant she was, which appalled Regina. She couldn't believe how inappropriate this idiot was being. By his expression, he seemed to think she was appalled at her friend's behaviour towards him. Regina just bid him goodbye and got out as fast as she could, slamming the door shut behind her. She didn't even look back, otherwise she would have noticed that Mr Glass had waited until she was inside the building, watching her closely until she was out of view.

Regina was fuming all the way up to her apartment. She entered hastily, almost slamming the door behind her and then lent back against it, panting slightly. She wondered what Emma could have done or said to the man to make him find her unpleasant. Either way, he probably deserved it. She knew Emma long enough, now, to know that she didn't take crap from anyone. If Mr Glass was creepily staring at Emma in the same manner he did at her, she's sure Emma would probably have called him out on it. She could all too easily imagine Mr Glass not liking to be told off. She was relieved that Emma would at least be able to defend herself, having a black belt in two forms of martial arts and all.

She pushed herself off the door, as her breathing got back to normal, and locked the door. Just in case. She placed her keys and files on the entrance hallway table, removed her shoes and went to find her son and dad. It was after 6 already, and Emma was meant to be seeing her at 7:30 at her office. She'd need to call her soon, to ask her to come to her apartment instead of her office, but she needed to see the two most important people in her life first. And a glass of her dad's cold apple cider would be great now, too. 

"Cariño!", her dad exclaimed. "We weren't expecting you until later. Everything okay?" 

He sounded worried, so she definitely wasn't going to tell him about the creepy Uber driver unless she had to.

"Hey, mom." Henry smiled, happy to see her home early for a change.

"Hello, boys," she smiled and flopped down onto the sofa between them. "My office's air conditioning broke down on me so I just decided to call it a day and come home. I still have an appointment with Emma, though, so I need to call her and ask her to come here instead." 

"Cool!", her son shouted excitedly.

"Oh, how was your first lesson, sweetheart?" Regina had completely forgotten that was happening today, but by the sounds of Henry's excitement, she knows it went well. 

"It was great! She's so cool, mom. And really good at teaching. Check this out," he got up quickly and demonstrated some moves. He fumbled a bit, but was pretty good after only one lesson. "Cool, huh? I'm going to be the next karate kid!"

"Calm down, darling," Regina said, though she couldn't help chuckling at her son's enthusiasm. "That was very impressive," she smiled warmly at him. "Were you watching them, Papi?", she turned to ask her dad.

"Yes, and I agree that she is very "cool" as my nieto says." Henry winked at his grandson. "Emma seems to be an excellent teacher, Regina. She taught him a good lesson and explained everything about karate to Henry in a very professional manner. She has a good head on her shoulders, that girl." Her dad seemed smitten with Emma. She definitely had the two Henrys charmed. 

"Good, I'm glad it went well. Have you arranged another lesson, then?", she asked them both? 

"Emma suggested Saturday, but said she'd speak to you about it when she sees you this evening," her son said, smiling.

"Okay," Regina got up off the sofa, "I'll go call her to come here for her appointment." Regina left them to their devices as she left the living room to go make her call, stopping by the kitchen first, to pour herself a glass of the apple cider.

After she hung up on Emma, she wondered if she would have enough time to have a quick shower before Emma arrived. Emma said she'd be here in half an hour. Regina then downed the rest of the cider before letting the boys know that Emma would be here by seven and to please let her in: she was going for a shower. They just nodded as they concentrated on their telenovela.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma has dinner with Regina and the two Henrys. In Regina's office, they discuss their Uber experience with the creepy driver.

By the time Regina came back down stairs, refreshed from her shower and dressed casually - for her, anyway - in a linen pant suit, Emma had already arrived and was sitting in the kitchen with the two Henrys, nursing a glass of apple cider.

"Ah, Miss Swan, I see my father has introduced you to his famous cider."

"Oh, hey Doc! Yes, it's really delicious." Emma then took another sip, humming delightfully at its flavour.

Henry Sr was about to dish up dinner which he had made himself - a very delicious smelling seafood paella - and asked Emma if she'd like some too. Emma had mentioned that she had already eaten, but by the look of her salivating over the dish Henry was serving up, she looked at Regina.

"By all means, Miss Swan. I can see you are foaming at the mouth. I have yet to eat dinner myself, so we may as well have some before we go into the office. You are a tad early, so we have some time."

"Great, then yes please, Sir," Emma said as she looked back at Henry Sr.

"Emma, what did I tell you this afternoon? Please call me Henry," he said as he handed her a bowl full of steaming hot food. 

Emma smiled, looking like she had just been handed a pot of gold. "Mmmmmmm, this smells delicious! Thanks, Henry."

Everyone laughed at Emma's excitement.

"Are you sure you had something to eat before you came here, Emma?" Henry Jr had asked her. 

"Yeah, I had leftover mac-and-cheese. This smells way better, kid."

"Please dig in, Emma," Henry Sr said as served everyone else's plates.

Emma didn't need to be told twice. She certainly did dig right in and there was silence -apart from Emma's moans - at the kitchen island where everyone was enjoying their dinner. The only thing that disturbed them was a ping from Regina's phone. It was just a message from Robin, telling her his tour had been extended and he would only be home 2 weeks later than he had originally told her. She snorted as she read the message, gaining funny looks from all three of her companions which she just ignored. Extended my ass, Regina thought to herself. But that reminded her she needed to rate her Uber driver before she forgot. She quickly went into her app and gave Mr Glass the lowest rating she could possibly give him, hoping that would stop her from getting him as a driver again. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After dinner, she led Emma to her office and asked her to take a seat on the sofa, offering her a drink. 

"Another apple cider would be great," Emma smiled brightly.

"Sure, I'll just go get us some from the kitchen. Please make yourself comfortable, Miss Swan."

"Thanks, Doc." 

Regina arrived minutes later, carrying a tray with their drinks. An iced tea for herself and Emma's apple cider. Placing the tray on the coffee table before Emma, she took her drink and went to sit in an armchair. She was somewhat at a right angle to Emma, on her left, getting her notes on August's out of his file. 

"Miss Swan, I-"

"Please call me Emma. I'm not your patient and when you call me "Miss Swan", I feel like I'm going to be reeled out by a disgruntled foster parent, social worker or headmistress. And none of the headmistresses I ever had looked… like you." Emma blushed as she said this last bit.

"Oh? And how do I look like to you?" Her left eyebrow raised.

"Um, well…. You're certainly not frumpy." Emma looked away from Regina.

"Very well, Emma. Before we get started, I just… well…" Regina put the notes down on the table and then leaned forward towards Emma, her hand clasped together on her knees. "This is going to sound strange, but I need to ask you about your experience with your Uber driver last Saturday evening...What?" Regina saw the panicked look on Emma's face."

"Oh, well, I'm so relieved you brought that up first because I wanted to ask you about that creepy driver. I take it you've had him before?" Emma looked worried.

"Yes, only about three or four times now, but that's three or four times too many. I get Ubers all the time, but I've never felt uncomfortable with a driver before. I actually had him this evening again. He brought me home and casually happened to mention picking up my friend from my place on Saturday evening and how he found her to be unpleasant." Regina actually looked quite concerned for Emma.

"Me, unpleasant!?" Emma yelped in disbelief. "Regina… may I call you Regina?" 

"Yes."

"Regina," Emma also leaned toward her companion, "you need to rate him a one so that you don't get him again, and perhaps report him to Uber. I have never felt so creeped out by someone so quickly. As soon as I got into the Uber, he told me he knew someone who lived here. And then he said your full name including your doctor title."

"Yes, he actually addressed me as Dr Mills this evening. I have never given my title when I book an Uber. Just my name. How would he even find out?"

"Do you use social Media? Or has he perhaps dropped you off at the hospital? He seems like the type of guy that does research. He was asking a lot of questions when I said you're a friend of mine."

"You said we were friends?" Regina looked shocked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Did I overstep?"

"Oh no, no. I guess I just don't have many." Regina looked a bit embarrassed. 

"Oh, me neither. Well, you have a friend in me now… I mean if it's allowed, I mean you're August's doctor, I mean…"

"Yes, Emma," Regina smiled. "So what else did Mr Glass say?" 

"You know his name?"

"Yes, it comes up on the Uber app when you book a ride."

"Ah yes, it was my first time trying out the app on Saturday. Anyway, he was going on about how beautiful and sophisticated you were and how you were too good for Robin. He asked if we've been friends long. I just ignored him, but made a note to ask you about him. After I got out, I took a photo of his car and number plate as he drove away. Look, I can speak to Graham about him, see if anyone has reported him in the past?" There was silence as Regina seemed lost in thought. "Regina?" Emma gently touched Regina's hand.

"Thank you, Emma, it might be better if I tell Graham myself. I actually have the number of another Uber driver I use quite often. I had told him about Mr Glass's behavior and he also suggested giving him a low rating. He also mentioned something else that was quite disturbing. Apparently other client's of his had also mentioned Mr Glass, telling him how Mr Glass also stares at them through the rearview mirror when he stops at a traffic light. And they all seem to look alike, apparently."

"Meaning...?" 

"They all have dark features like myself. Dark hair/eyes, olive-skin-"

"Oh Jesus, Regina, you really need to report this guy." Emma sounded worried which in turn made Regina concerned.

"Yes, I'm afraid I shall have to," Regina sighed.

"Let me know when you go so I can come with you. I can tell them about my experience with this guy and all the stuff he said about you to me."

"Alright. Thank-you, Miss...Emma. I'm sorry for putting you in this predicament."

"Hey, it's no hassle. I'd rather keep you safe. You are my only friend, after all." 

"What about August?"

"He's my brother."

"And Graham?"

"He's my temporary neighbor-slash-former prison guard. Okay, and my only male friend."

"Okay," Regina smiled,"well, I'll go in the morning. I need to be at the hospital at ten to - oh my goodness, I can't believe I forgot to tell you this when you first arrived!" Regina almost jumped with glee.

"What, what!?" Emma smiled at Regina's obvious excitement.

"I went to see August today and-"

"Oh my God, did he speak?"

"No, but the nurse has told me that there's been an increase in his brain activity every time you visit and talk to him, and when you read to him." Regina was smiling, but Emma didn't know why Regina thought that was good news if he still wasn't speaking. Regina observed Emma's expression. "That is good news, Emma. It means that he is listening to you, taking in what you are saying to him or reading to him." Regina smiled at Emma, hoping she would understand the significance of this breakthrough.

"So, that's good, right?" Emma smiled back.

"Yes! Considering he was just lying in bed showing no hope for recovery before you showed up. So, you see? You are helping, Emma." Regina smiled brightly which was contagious because Emma smiled right back.

"Well, I'm glad you told me this now, Doc. It's always better to end a conversation with good news."

"Yes, agreed. So I could meet you somewhere for a coffee tomorrow morning and then we could head-"

"Just come over to mine's tomorrow morning. I'll ask Graham to join us. Plus, August seemed to have splashed out on a gourmet coffee machine so you will be guaranteed five-star-restaurant quality coffee for free," Emma winked. 

"Alright. Thank you, Emma. Shall we finally begin, then," Regina smiled. 

"Sure," Emma said, leaning back into the comfy sofa and spilling more stories from her and August's childhood.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Emma speak to Graham, Sidney isn't as squeaky clean as he appears, Henry gets his second Karate lesson and Regina gets her first self-defence lesson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra-long chapter. All mistakes are mine.

Regina had gotten up early that morning as she hadn't slept well. She spent most of the night thinking about this whole Uber fiasco. She didn't need this right now with everything else going on in her life. She had also been thinking about the state of her marriage. It had started crumbling years ago before she and Robin had adopted Henry. When she had told Robin she couldn't have children, he seemed ok about it. It was his idea to adopt a child. But once they adopted Henry - almost 11 years ago, now - it became clear that Robin just couldn't connect with the boy. She, on the other hand, fell instantly in love with her son. It didn't matter that they didn't share the same DNA. Robin just couldn't feel the same way, treating Henry like a distant relative rather than a son. He even suggested that Henry took on "Mills" as his last name since Regina had named the boy after her own father already. Regina had hoped that as Henry grew older, that he and Robin would bond more. Robin had managed to get Henry interested in playing the violin and Henry excelled in it. But he didn't love it the way Robin did, wanting to find other instruments to try out instead. Yet, he persevered because he wanted his dad to be proud of him. What kid didn't want that? But when it became obvious that Robin didn't even care about attending Henry's performances, Henry had started to rebel against it. Then when he was right, her friend - and part-time receptionist - had accidentally told Henry he was adopted. He had completely closed off from both Robin and Regina, only recently coming back to Regina after a few stern but kind words from his grampa about how much they all love him and that having the same DNA didn't matter as long as there was love. And he told Henry so many ways in which Regina loved him like he was her own flesh and blood son. He finally realised, after doing his research, how lucky he was and how much he truly did love his mom and Abuelo. He still hadn't warmed back up to Robin, though. Probably because Robin was always away on tour or business of some sort. Yet he still expected Henry to practice his violin every day. Henry only played it now because he wanted to be better at it than Robin ever was. Just to spite Robin.  
When she got that text from Robin last night, she knew it had nothing to do with his tour being extended. It had everything to do with one of the musicians in the flute section of the orchestra that accompanied him on his tours - Marion.

Regina arrived at Emma's apartment at 8:30 bearing freshly baked goods. She knocked a couple of times and then heard heavy footsteps rushing towards the door which was thrown open by a half-dressed Emma. She had clearly just hopped out the shower and had quickly dried off and put on red underwear and a white tank top. Her hair was still damp, 

"Regina, hi, come in, sorry I slept in, make yourself at home, I'll just finish getting dressed," and before she could respond, Emma was away down the hall towards her bedroom, Regina had gathered. Regina closed the door behind herself and made her way to the kitchen. The apartment seemed to be the same as Graham's. The same layout except it was a mirror image of his apartment. She made herself at home, taking off her jacket and getting out the baked goods she had brought over with her. She saw that Emma already had the coffee machine on and 3 mugs out for them, so she went ahead and started preparing their coffees. Emma could make Graham his one when he arrived. She decided to give Emma one less teaspoon of sugar just to see if she noticed the difference between two and three. The coffees were ready just as Emma came out, dressed in her signature skinny jeans and a green short-sleeved blouse over her white tank top. Regina looked her up and down, noticing Emma's odd socks.

"Like what you see, Doc?" Emma winked playfully. "Oh, thanks for making the coffees. And, oooooh, see you brought some yummies!" Emma grabbed a big pastry that smelled delicious. "Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, yum! You didn't need to bring anything, but I'm glad you did!" 

"Swallow before you speak, Miss Swan. You are going to choke to death and then what would become of August, hmmm?"

Emma swallowed and took a big sip of her coffee before reply, "I'm glad I mean so much to you."

"Of course. I need you to help August." Regina sat down on a stool at the kitchen island to drink her coffee. She didn't have any of the things she brought over as she'd had breakfast already. 

"Aren't you going to eat anything," Emma gestured towards the baking on the counter. 

"No, I ate earlier. These are for you and Graham. I woke up early this morning…. Couldn't sleep. I tend to bake when I'm… when I have a lot on my mind."

"We will get that creep reported, Regina. Graham said he would be here by nine. You can tell him what has been happening and what that other Uber driver said. I'll also tell him what he said to me last Saturday night. He might want us to go down to the station to report it officially, though. And they might want to talk to the other driver. I'll come with you if you want to. Emma sounded like she knew what she was talking about.

"Alright, thank you, Emma. I just feel out of my element, here. I'm not used to feeling out of control." 

Just then, they heard a quick knock and then the door open and Graham came in.

"Hey, ladies." Graham then went straight to the coffee maker and poured himself a big mug of pure black coffee. No cream or sugar. Emma always grimaced at Graham's choice of coffee. It looked like tar. He then joined them at the kitchen island. "Ooooh, apple turnovers! Been baking, Regina?" Graham smiled broadly at her.

"I have. How are you, Graham? Did the party end well on Saturday?"

"Yes, thank you. And I hear you've been spilling my secrets to your cohort here," Graham winked at them both.

"Yes, well, Emma asked how you and I became friends and I couldn't lie to her. Besides, is it really a secret?" Regina smirked.

"Ah, well, I've not seen Zelena for a while. Seems like she may be avoiding me." Graham didn't sound upset about it, though. In fact, he was quite amused. "Perhaps she's found another boy toy," he smirked.

"I wouldn't know, Graham. Haven't seen her in at least a month. She did say she was going to England to see family."

"You have family in England?" Emma asked.

"Oh, no, Zelena has a different father. My mother had her before she met my dad. She never married Zelena's father but they kept in touch. Her father and his family are all in England and other parts of the UK."

"Cool, so are you and Zelena close?" Emma seemed genuinely interested.

"Hmmm, I suppose so. We weren't as children. But as we became adults, we seemed to have gotten closer. She's about six years older than I am. Anyway, Graham, has Emma filled you in on our Uber driver situation?"

"Not much, she just told me about the driver who has been making you feel uncomfortable but that's it. Have you reported him to Uber?"

"Not yet, but I will. I just wanted to tell you what another driver told me about this driver…" Regina went on to tell him everything that Daniel Colter had told her and how this Mr Sidney Glass knew her title and seemed to know she was married to Robin. She was worried he might know about her son too. That scared her. She paled as she voiced her concerns about her son's safety. Emma quickly got her a glass of water when she noticed Regina's complexion. 

Graham had written everything down, including Emma's account of her experience with this guy. Emma didn't fit Mr Glass's profile since she was blonde and had a very fair complexion compared to Regina. He also asked Emma to forward him the photograph she had taken of the car and number plate. He had a late shift today and he would look this man up on the high tech computer system just installed at his precinct. Graham advised that they both report this guy to Uber and he also asked Regina to have Mr Colter get in touch with him. He gave her his professional business card with all his contact details, which he had to quickly go back to his apartment to get for her. 

Once he had left, Emma and Regina each logged into their Uber accounts to report the driver. Hopefully, with two serious reports against him, he would be deactivated from Uber. Or at least looked into. 

Before leaving Emma's apartment to go to the hospital, Regina had received an alert informing her that Henry's concert had been cancelled due to an unforeseen circumstance and would be rescheduled for the summer school term. She let Emma know and told her she'd see her again tomorrow for their session at her apartment. The air conditioning in her office would be out of commission until the superintendent of the building fixed it, so she had to rearrange her appointments and was seeing most of her patients at an office at the hospital. She never saw her patients in her home office, but since Emma wasn't her patient, she made an exception. She told Emma to come for dinner at 6 pm and then they would have their session afterwards.  
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The week passed without much incident. Graham had done a check on Sidney Glass, but nothing had come up on the system. He seemed to have a clean record and did volunteer work at various care homes, charming the old folks and did general maintenance free of charge. The model citizen. It seemed his mother was a resident at one of the care homes too. But when someone came off as squeaky clean, it sent Emma's radar on alert. She knew he was covering something, but she couldn't do anything about him. She had thought of doing a stakeout and following him, but if she was caught then he could press harassment charges against her. She would have to follow Graham's advice to just leave him alone. The only thing is that she was never good at doing what she was told. 

By Friday evening, she had determined that though he did do his good volunteer deeds, he also visited a brothel in Queens. She didn't mean to do it, but she happened to be driving back home from a session with Regina on Friday evening when she just so happened to recognise Sidney's silver Sedan. It was parked not far from Regina's apartment building. It looked like he had just dropped someone off so she took the opportunity to follow him. He drove to Queens and at first, she thought he might just be going to pick someone up. He had parked his car outside a Chinese massage parlour. Then she started noticing the women coming out and some were walking towards different cars which had stopped by them, they would lean over into the passenger window and then they would either get in or entice the men out and into the massage parlour. They were all hookers and as Emma drove around the corner, she realised that there were several different massage parlours with men going in or hookers coming out. Huh? How is this even happening? Emma drove around the block several times and each time was shocked to see how busy it was. And she noticed Sydney's car was still parked where he had left it. Should she roll down her window to ask one of these women if Sidney was a regular? Just then, she saw him come out with a woman on his arm. She had to blink a couple of times because the woman fit his profile to a tee. Dark hair, olive skin and looked Latina. Not as beautiful as Regina, but who could be? She wanted to warn this woman not to get into his car, but how. There was nothing for her to do but leave her to go with this creep. She followed them to a hotel and then decided to go home. She had a second karate lesson with Henry tomorrow afternoon, and this time Regina would be there too. She was hoping she could teach Regina some basic self-defence techniques just in case.  
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She went to see Graham On Saturday morning to tell him what she had discovered in Queens. When he asked her how she even ended up in Queens at 10 in the evening, he was really mad at her when she told him she had followed Sidney there. They had a huge argument about stalking Sidney and her safety if he had spotted her car - which wasn't hard to do, the man on the moon could probably see it - she left his apartment in a bad mood. She went to her regular gym to work off her anger at Graham and her worry about Sydney still driving for Uber. He obviously hadn't been deactivated.  
She punched a bag for a good hour before going for her second shower of the day. Even as she showered, her mind was still buzzing. She couldn't just let this creep drive innocent women around. If something happened to them, she would feel very guilty if he acted out on whatever crazy fantasy he had for them because she hadn't caught him in time. She seriously considered even going back to Queens and offering the women who worked at the brothel basic self-defence lessons free of charge. Perhaps she should join the police force.

By the time she met Henry and Regina at the same place, in Sheep Meadow, for their second karate lesson, she was all set to give Regina some lessons too. She had phoned Regina after she got out of the gym, telling her to wear something to work out in because she was going to give her a self-defence lesson too. Regina did protest, but Emma told her she would stop her lessons with Henry (not really) if Regina didn't show up in her workout clothes. "You wouldn't dare!" Regina had exclaimed. But Emma just hung up on her without a response.

When Emma had arrived at their meeting spot, Regina and Henry were already there, waiting for Emma by the bench. Regina was seated - in workout clothes - but Henry was running about and practising the karate moves Emma had taught him already. She wolf-whistled at him which instantly made him stop to look at her. 

"Great moves, kid!" She winked at him as she walked to the bench to put her bag down next to Regina. "Hi, Doc! Looking good!"

"I wear these to clean my house," Regina glared at Emma.

"Oh my God, Regina!" Emma mock-gasped. "You clean your own home?" 

Regina just glared at her as Henry joined their conversation. "Yeah, she's really anal about it too. Clean, clean, clean! She makes me clean my room all the time! She-"

"Henry Mills, not another word from you! If I recall, I cleaned your room last weekend because I couldn't see your bedroom floor. If you want Emma to carry on with these karate lessons, I suggest you zip it. " Regina made a closing zip motion across her lips as she glared at him.

"Come on, kid. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Let's get on with the next lesson." Emma winked at Regina as they went off to start. 

Regina just leaned back against the bench to watch Emma walk away towards where Henry was waiting for her. Had Emma just put on an extra sway to her hips for her?

An hour later, their lesson was over and they walked back to the bench where Regina had been watching them intently. Her father was right. Emma was a good teacher. Not just showing Henry how to perform each move correctly, but also in how she spoke to him and told him why each move was important. They had also done warm-up stretches in the beginning and warm down stretches at the end. She could see how much Henry was enjoying this. It thrilled her to see him smiling so much. Even if it was someone else causing him to smile. 

"So, what did you think, mom?" Henry asked, panting a bit as he drank a bottle of water. 

"Very impressive, darling." She then turned to Emma, watching as she downed her bottle of water, her head thrown back, eyes closed, some water was dribbling down her chin and onto her long slender pale neck. She couldn't help but stare. Emma was a beautiful woman, even all sweaty like she was at this moment.

"Mom? Mom!? Mom!!" Henry touched her shoulder which made her snap out of her thoughts. Emma and Henry were both staring at her now.

"Yes, sorry. What were you saying, sweetheart?" 

"I told Emma that I'm off for spring break for the next couple of weeks so we wondered about having lessons in the morning if Abuelo can come? Or even just drop me off coz he doesn't have to stay if he is busy."

"But he can stay if he wants to!" Emma said quickly. "I mean until you trust me to be alone with Henry."

"I trust you, Emma. That sounds fine, but let me speak to my dad to see what he wants to do. But, Henry, I need you to please practice your violin too. Just because the concert was cancelled, doesn't mean you can slack off, okay? You have a lesson on Monday afternoon with Mrs Lucas. I don't want her going back to your dad about you not practising enough, honey."

"Mom, he doesn't even care. He hardly ever comes to see me play. Why can't I just stop playing?" 

"Do you hate it that much?" 

"Well, I don't mind it, but I'm just bored. I'd like to try a different instrument like the cello or trumpet," Henry looked hopefully at his mom.

"Well, your dad gets home in a few weeks so I will talk to him then. But in the meantime, if you want to carry on with your karate lessons, please just do this for me?"

"Sure, okay mom." 

Emma felt a bit awkward like she was listening in on a private conversation between mother and son. She cleared her throat to remind them she was still there.

"So, Doc. Are you ready for some one-on-one self-defence lessons with a pro?"

"Cockiness will get you nowhere fast, Miss Swan," Regina said, standing up and walking towards where Emma and Henry had been doing their lesson earlier. She put her own swagger on, Emma watching her closely. Regina turned back to look at her. "Coming or not, Emma?" 

"Coming." I wish, Emma thought. 

She went to join Regina and then started showing her various self-defence moves. Finally, she taught her one that she knew worked very well if someone came at you from behind.

"Hey, have you seen the film "Miss Congeniality"? Emma asked.

"I have. "

"Do you remember the scene where Sandra Bullock teaches the audience a self-defence move called SING?"

"That's a real technique?" Regina seemed dubious.

"Yes. As well as being funny, it also is a pretty useful self-defence technique. First for what S.I.N.G. stands for is solar plexus (guts) instep (foot) nose (thing in the middle of your face)," Emma gestures dramatically, "and groin. Yes, hitting them in the family jewels will bring anyone down - male or female. So I'll show you the moves and then I'll grab you from behind and you try them out. But you have to put all your force behind it. Don't worry about me. I just need to know you can do it."

"Don't worry, I won't hold back. Okay, show me."

So they spent a good ten minutes going over the moves and Regina had managed to wind Emma on her third try. 

"Oh my God, Emma. Are you ok!?" Regina asked as Emma clutched her stomach, but managed to stay standing. 

"Yeah…... I'm…..good. That was…...good." Emma took a few moments to recover as she called a time out and went to sit on the bench.

"Woah, you got her, mom. Maybe we should all just go home now. I think you broke Emma for the day.

"Hey kid, what do you take me for?" Emma panted for a bit. "I'm…. just a good teacher. I taught...your mom...well. Really well." 

"Are you sure you're alright, Emma? Perhaps we should all go back to our place. It's closer than yours. " 

"Okay, but only because I'm hoping to get some of that cider. I think I deserve it."

"Fine, but only after you've had a shower. Do you have a change of clothes in your backpack?"

"Always. But I'm not the only sweaty one here." Emma held her nose dramatically.

"Watch it, Miss Swan, or I'll make you go back to your place."

With that, they all grabbed their things and headed back towards the Mills apartment.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma finds out Henry is adopted, and Emma find something out about who Rafael really is and she confronts Regina fight.

So this became Emma's routine. Giving Henry his karate lesson in the morning... and in the afternoon, telling her and August's secrets to his mother. And looking forward to telling them. Or more like looking forward to seeing her.

"It's as if August has some kind of a splinter…" Regina was almost speaking to herself as she paced her office " ..that he's neglected. It festers. It festers inside you until you… you get it out. You know what I mean?" 

Emma is laying on Regina's sofa, watching her and just nodding when Regina asks her something.

"The stories you're telling me are helping him remember...and I'm very proud of the work we're doing. Do you know what I mean? Emma?"

No response from Emma. Just a nod as she stares at Regina in her perfectly tailored skirt suit. Regina had caught Emma staring at her… assets...more than a few times now.

"Time's up, Emma. Out." Regina smirks as she points to her office door. "I'll meet you in the kitchen for a drink in just a moment. I just need to make a call. My dad and Henry will probably still be watching TV if you want to join them.

Regina's office air conditioning had been fixed a couple of days ago, but they had decided to have Emma come to Regina's home office if she could only fit Emma in the evenings.

"Okay, thanks." Emma got up and exited the office, leaving Regina to make her call in peace. She found the two Henrys watching their nightly telenovela in the living room.  
"Oooh, has she found her daughter yet?" Emma asked as she sat down in an armchair, making herself right at home.

"Sssshhhh!" Both Henrys said simultaneously as they kept their eyes on the screen.

Ten minutes later, Regina poked her head into the living room and beckoned Emma to the kitchen for their drink and to catch up with the Sidney situation. Emma had filled her in on what she had seen. Regina wasn't happy with Emma for risking herself but had appreciated the gesture. They each had a drink and then Emma left.  
________________________________________________________

"Emma, are you trying to kill yourself?" Henry had asked her one morning after their lesson. 

It wasn't a very strenuous one so they took a leisurely walk along Madison. Avenue. They were going to meet Regina's dad for lunch, but they were still waiting for him to text Emma about which cafe to meet them. 

"It's a vape, Hen. I'm not quitting, You hear?"

"It's been proven they can also kill you."

"I'm not quitting." Emma was adamant.

"Then I'll smoke."

"No, you're not smoking. Your mom would kill me. You're not smoking."

"Then throw them out, Emma."

"All right. I will. When I get home."

"Now, Emma!"

"All right. All right! Jeez, kid. You really do take after your mother!" Emma chucked it in a bin on the sidewalk, grumbling.

"Thanks, I'll let her know you said that. She always says nature versus nurture. She sure nurtured me well, then, huh?"

"What do you mean, kid?"

"Oh, didn't mom tell you? I'm adopted."

Emma stopped walking, quite shocked at this revelation. "You're adopted?"

"Yeah. I was pretty angry at her and my dad when I found out. I thought they had been lying to me my whole life." 

"Oh, when did they tell you? Just recently?"

"Oh, my mom's sort of friend - who is also her part-time receptionist - casually told me one day when I was eight. I was at my mom's office one day after school, and she said how lucky I was to be adopted by Regina. She must have thought I knew. I think the expression on my face must have told her that I didn't know. I burst into mom's office calling her a liar. She was in with a patient so that didn't go down well."

Just then, Emma's phone pinged. Henry had sent her the name of the restaurant and to meet him there at noon. Emma checked her watch. They had twenty minutes. 

"Was that my grampa?"

"Yeah, we are meeting him at the Island restaurant. Hey, Do you know if it was a closed adoption?"

Emma realised they were standing in the middle of the sidewalk so she motioned for them to start walking towards the restaurant. 

"I only know that my birth mom was a teenager who couldn't afford to keep me so she gave me my best chance."

Emma smiled at Henry. "You're a damn lucky kid, Hen. Regina loves you so much. And so does your Abuelo. "

"My dad doesn't," Henry looked at his shoes, sadly, as they walked.

"I'm sure-"

"No, he really doesn't. We've never been close. Even before I knew I was adopted. That's why I started playing the violin when I was five. I saw how much he loved playing it so I thought if I played, maybe it would be something we could bond over. In the beginning, he seemed quite happy about it, but now he hardly comes to any of my concerts. I think he doesn't love me because I'm not his biological son. But I know my mom loves me. Not just because she tells me every day," Henry chuckles. "Just in the way she shows me. She's never missed my concerts, and she doesn't even like classical music anymore. I think she used to, but I think she's gone off it? I'm not sure. But she still comes to see me play every time. And she tucks me in every night and reads to me when she can. And spends all her time with me when she's not working. And my Abuelo too." Henry was smiling. 

"He sure does, Hen. And there he is."

Henry Sr was just at the entrance to the Island. He must have seen them walking towards him, so he waited and waved to them when Emma and Henry noticed him waiting for them.

"Hi Henry," Emma said as they reached him. Henry just hugged his grampa hello.

"Hello, Emma." He smiled back as he hugged his grandson. Once a released from the hug, he opened the door and let his grandson and Emma enter before him and then entered himself. 

They were led to a table that had been reserved for them near the front windows. Once seated and their drink orders had been taken, Emma spoke up. 

"Henry, the kid told me he's adopted. It just sort of came up. Anyway, Ummm… I was in the foster system for almost my whole life. I was found just hours old on the side of the road In Maine. During the winter. My birth mother only wrapped me in a blanket. Luckily I was found in time. Anyway. I was actually adopted by a couple, but when I was three years old, they discovered that they were expecting a baby of their own, so they sent me back." Emma managed to swallow back a lump in her throat. She noticed both Henrys' look of...not pity, but sadness. "I'm not telling you this because I want your pity. I just want the kid here to know how lucky he is to have Regina as his mom. And you, too, as his grampa."

"We are the lucky ones to have Henry here. Thank you for sharing your story with us, Emma. 

"Yeah, thanks, Emma. No pity here. Just admiration."

"Thanks, kid," Emma chuckled. "Are you sure you're only ten? You sure speak well."

"Almost eleven! On the fifth of July!"

"Huh." Emma took that bit of information in her stride. Inside, though, she was panicking. It was just a coincidence that Henry and the boy she gave up for adoption share the same birthday. Should she say something to Regina? Would it make a difference? Regina was his mother. She wanted Regina to be his mother. If Henry was her biological son - and she had a strong suspicion that he was because now that she knew he was adopted, it was like looking at a little Neil with hazel eyes instead of Neil's blue - then she was so thrilled that Henry ended up with Regina.

They spent the rest of their time just chatting and eating the burgers they ordered, Henry Sr insisted on paying for Emma's meal at the end, Emma only finally relenting when she made Henry Sr promise that he would let her pay next time. 

They then went their own ways, Henry, back home with his grampa and Emma back to her place. She was due to see Regina in a few hours so she wanted to have a shower and freshen up before she saw her again

On her way, she passed a nice looking book shop. She stopped to look at the window display when she suddenly paled. She noticed a book called "Southern Ways" and it was by none other than Rafael Halpern. but the cover on the book is what shocked her. It was an illustration of the foster home where she had first met August. She instantly went into the book store and bought a copy, then started reading it as soon as she stepped out of the shop. 

"Shit! Shit!" To say that she was angry was putting it mildly. There in this illustrated so-called children's book were the most horrifying moments of her life displayed in illustrations and pretty words by Rafael. Who was this guy and what the hell did August tell him? She had a feeling Regina knew about this and she was going to get answers from her. First, she needed to get home to shower.  
_____________________________________________________________

Emma didn't even bother knocking. She just barged through Regina's office door, her receptionist - a mousy looking woman - never stood a chance of stopping her.

Regina looked up from the notes she was writing at her desk, when her door flew open, and removed her spectacles.

"Who is Rafael Halpern, and what's he got to do with my brother?" Emma raged, waving the book she had just bought at Regina 

"I'm sorry, Regina, I-"

"It's alright, Mary-Margaret. Please just close the door." Regina then looked at Emma. "Sit down and cool off," Regina said, calmly.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" Emma carried on, still waving the book.

"It's difficult to conduct a session…"

"This is not a session! I'm asking you a question. You're doing a shitty job of evading it. Who wrote this?" Emma tossed the book at Regina angrily. 

"What's so disturbing?" Regina lifted the book, quickly taking in the title and author.

"That's not the issue. Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't my place to…"

"You're a piece of work, Mills! I tell you everything, and you withhold important information!"

"Maybe you're withholding."

"This is not about me!" 

"Then why are you so upset?

"I don't like being lied to. I don't like secrets. I could report you. Have your license suspended." Emma was pacing like a wild animal, she just couldn't keep still. 

"Stop acting like a petulant child," Regina said, rolling her eyes at Emma's threat.

"You haven't answered my question. Who wrote this book?"

"Why don't you tell me?" Regina still seemed calm.

"I will. August wrote it. It's all about our time with that goddamn foster family. If Lila read it, Jesus, she'd rip out August's pancreas with her teeth!"

"Why?" Regina finally stood up, put her hands on her desk and leant forward. "Why would she do that? What are you hiding, Miss Swan?"

"I don't answer any more questions till you answer mine." 

"Then why don't you sit down and listen. That is if you're not too exhausted by your temper tantrum." 

"Shit!! Emma was looking in her pockets for her vape, but then remembered she had thrown it in the bin as per Henry's command. She saw Regina was still waiting for her to sit down, so she did so grumpily.

"When August first came to see me, he told me his name was Rafael Halpern."

"He's even crazier than I thought," Emma muttered.

"Shut up, or I won't continue," Regina responded coldly. "He said his father was a furrier and both parents were Holocaust survivors. Now, he couldn't fool me about being Jewish, but what fascinated me...was why he chose to be the child of survivors. What was he trying to survive? What is he trying to survive?

"How would I know? August was already fifteen when I met him."

"I think you do." Regina persisted.

"You're supposed to be answering my questions. Why'd he do it?

"Writing made him want to be someone else."

"That was okay with you?!" 

"It was not okay." Regina said, exasperated. "I told August that unless he resolved his own problems, he wouldn't have a chance."

"Is that what people pay you to do? Turn them into someone else?"

"You're not listening!" Regina was getting frustrated.

"What do you think I'm doing here?"

"Complaining! Avoiding!"

"Fuck you, Mills!" Emma said, standing back up. "Fuck you, fuck Sigmund Freud and fuck Rafael Halpern. It makes me sick!"

"Your reaction makes me sick!" Regina shouted back.

"How do you expect me to react? What if I'd done the same to your… " damn, she didn't want to say son…" your dad?" Damn, Sorry Henry, she thought, silently.

"It's not the same thing!"

"I'll make him a Presbyterian...cowboy!"

"It's quite different. My father didn't try to kill himself."

"Give him time, Mills. Give him time!"

"You damn…" Regina was at a loss for words but then started to frantically look for something on her desk. She then clocked in on a huge hardback dictionary, picked it up and hurled it at Emma, hitting her square on the nose. 

"Ouch! Shit!" Emma clutched her nose and stumbled back, landing in the armchair dramatically, her eyes had watered and blood was coming out her nose and through her fingers quite spectacularly.

"My God, I'll go get you some ice." Regina practically ran, in her four-inch heels, to the mini-fridge/freezer. She got out some ice, wrapped it in a hand towel and quickly walked to Emma, getting on her knees and removing Emma's hands so she could place the ice pack on her nose. 

"I see a malpractice suit coming out of this, doctor."

"I am so embarrassed." Regina blushed as she held the ice pack to Emma's nose.

"What a day. I get dropped by a dictionary......and I find out my brother's become a Brooklyn Jew." Emma tried to move away from the ice pack, but Regina was stronger. It was damn sore. "I don't need that. I'd rather bleed to death."

"Just be quiet and take it," Regina commanded. "After you've stopped bleeding, I'll take you to dinner."

"No chilli today, Doc. This time it's gonna cost you. So. This is therapy, huh?"

"Yeah, " Regina said, "pretty bloody, isn't it?"  
_________________________________________________

"I still can't believe I did that to you," Regina said, blushing.

They were seated at a table, in a fancy French restaurant, which Emma didn't think she would be let into. Regina had phoned ahead to reserve a table and on the way there, they stopped by Emma's apartment for a change of clothes. She had quite a bit of blood down her shirt from her nosebleed but decided on a complete wardrobe change when Regina told her they'd be going to a fancy restaurant. She opted for a flattering black leather dress. She wanted to impress Regina for a change. And she certainly did.

"Face it, Mills. I bring out the animal in you," Emma smirked, then became serious. "I owe you an apology, Regina."

"I accept," Regina said graciously as she took a sip of her champagne.

"That was a terrible thing to say," Emma said. feeling ashamed of her words. 

"Yes."

"I know it. Jesus.Thank you for accepting." 

Regina nodded just as the waiter approached their table.

"Would you like to order now?"

Regina looked to Emma who nodded. 

"We would like to order now." She then looked back at Emma, "Do you want me to order for you? I eat here all the time."

"Go ahead. I'll do anything to make you happy tonight, Regina."

Regina just smiled then looked at the menu. "I think...we'll start with the artichaut garni de champignons au safran. And pour mademoiselle…" She looked at Emma for a moment then nodded, "La mousse de canard aux baies sauvages. And then we'll have the soupe De poisson au crabe. Delicious."

"And for your main course?" The waiter asked.

"Râble de lapin," Regina said, closing the menu and handing it to the waiter. "The rabbit is superb," she directed at Emma.

"God, there's nothing sexier than a beautiful woman...ordering food in French. Read me the whole menu."

"Are you flirting with me, Emma?"

"Yeah, I think I am. I'd like you to find me attractive, bloody nose and all."

"And I'd like to ask you about August."

"God! Don't you ever take a night off?" 

"You said you'd do anything to make me happy. Just one thing," Regina pleaded.

"Fine," Emma sighed.

"August told me his children's book came out of a dream."

"More like a nightmare," Emma grumbled.

"Images in it terrorized him, but he didn't know why. Like the three stray dogs. What do you think it means?"

"Mills, you're incorrigible. We're at a wonderful restaurant...and you want me to interpret my brother's dreams? You wanna interpret dreams? Do mine. I had a great one about you last night."

"You had a dream about me?" Regina leant back in her chair, This, she had to hear.

"You wanna hear it?"

"I'm not sure." Yes!

"Don't worry. This one's G-rated," Emma winked at Regina. 

"This one? Tell me…"

"There was a blinding snowstorm right here in New York City. I went out for a walk and I ran into you. We decided to go to the Rainbow Room. No one was there. So we started to slow dance. What do you think it means?"

"Hmmm. You said it was a snowstorm? Blinding snowstorm?"

Emma nodded.

"Maybe there's something you're afraid to see," Regina stated.

"Maybe I wanna get to know you better," Emma countered.

"Maybe you're trying to snow me," Regina threw back.

"Maybe I have cold feet," Emma smiled.

"Maybe you just miss winter," Regina finished off, also smiling.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Regina see Sidney, Regina surprises her son and Emma with a picnic, and Emma takes Regina "to the movies".

Emma and Regina had been enjoying a good evening of conversation and amazing food. Emma wasn't sure if she should bring up the fact that Henry told her he was adopted. She was afraid of even bringing up the idea that she might possibly be his birth mom. What are the odds, though, that both Regina's son and the boy that she had given up were born on the exact same day? The waiter had just served them their dessert - they were each having créme brulé - and Emma had just broached the subject went she spotted a man and a woman being seated not far from them, behind Regina.

"Hey, um… Henry told me he's adopted. I didn't realise - sorry, have I overstepped?"

"Oh…" Regina's eyes had widened. "Yes, he is. How...how did it come up?" Regina then saw how Emma had paled. Emma was already quite fair skinned, so to have noticed her complexion turn an even lighter shade had worried Regina. "Emma?" She noticed that Emma's eyes were focused on something (or someone) behind her, so Regina turned around in her chair. She saw Sidney Glass straight away and he was looking right at their table. Regina quickly turned back to Emma, eyes wide and also pale-faced. "Shit," she whispered.

"My thoughts exactly. Do you want to just go?"

"No. I've been looking forward to my dessert all night and I'm damn well going to enjoy it!"

"Hey, what am I to you, then? Chopped liver?" Emma, chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. 

"Something like that," Regina smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "So, what did Henry tell you?"

"Huh? Oooh, I had told him he was just like you when he made me throw my vape in the bin and he said you would be happy to hear that he was just like you…" Emma went on to tell Regina their whole conversation, but left out the birthday information. She would wait until she had more information; and for them to be in a more private setting; before divulging anything else.

"He is lucky to have you be his mom, Regina. I know I would be thrilled if I knew my kid ended up with you."

"Thank-you, Emma. You have no idea what that means to me." Regina said, feeling a lump in her throat as she extended her hand and placed it on Emma's.

"I mean it, Regina."

"I know you do. Now, are you ready to go or are you going to eat the actual bowl too? I don't think you will get anything more from that and I forbid you to pick it up to lick it clean in my presence." Regina gestured to the bowl, Emma had been scraping it from within an inch of eating it entirely.

"Awww, you're no fun! But yeah, I'm done. Plus that creep hasn't stopped looking over at us. He obviously doesn't know the art of being subtle."

"Don't look back, Emma. That will just goad him. I'll signal for the check."

Once the check was taken care of - Emma tried to pay some of it, but Regina wouldn't hear of it - they had to actually get up and walk past the man and his companion. Was he actually there on a date? Emma pulled out of her seat first since Regina seemed like she couldn't move. She went around the table, gently pulled back Regina's chair and then offered her her hand, which Regina took gratefully. Regina honestly didn't think she would be able to walk past this creep without looking at him. She then felt Emma put her hand on the small of her back as she and Emma walked to the front of the restaurant and out into the fresh air without even a glance at the vile man. Regina had almost wanted to warn his companion off him, but they were too desperate to leave the establishment. 

Once out on the sidewalk, they both let out a sigh of relief. Emma had booked them an Uber, safely knowing they would not be getting Mr Glass. 

"So, I'll see you tomorrow afternoon for our session?" Emma asked Regina. She was about to get out the Uber they had shared, once it had arrived at Regina's apartment. 

"Yes, Emma. See you then. Goodnight."

"Good night, Regina. Thanks for dinner." 

Regina just nodded, smiled and got out. Emma continued her Uber ride back to her place thinking of Regina and the emotions she was making Emma feel again. Damn.  
______________________________________

"Move those legs, Hen. Move them, move them, move them! That's it. Get in position. Keep your head up…" Emma and Henry were just finishing some warming down exercises after their Karate lesson. It was the second week of his spring break and he was doing really well.

"Is that my son? Is that you, Henry? I didn't think this was going to involve such an intense exercise regime. Isn't he too young for all this?" Regina asked as she watched Emma drill Henry. She had appeared suddenly, surprising them with her presence. And she was wearing jeans and a light grey open cardigan over a white shirt, and grey loafers with a leopard print on them. It was the most casual style that Emma had seen her in. Damn, she looks good in jeans, Emma thought.

"Stop being a...mother. The kid needs to be strong to pull off the karates moves I'm teaching him," Emma retorted back.

"But I am a mother. I brought sandwiches." Regina waved a picnic basket at them. She walked to a clear patch of grass and lay down a huge picnic blanket, placing the picnic basket on top.

"Oh, good. I'm starving!" Emma called time out to Henry and they joined Regina.

"Hi mom. I didn't know you were off today."

"I had a cancellation so I decided to just move some of the other appointments I had, around, and have taken the day off to spend with you. I've got a lot here so dig in! I've also bought some bottled water and some of those fruit shoots you like, Henry. Emma, what would you like?"

"Slave away in the kitchen making those, Regina?". Emma picked up a steak sandwich filled with an assortment of different meats and pickles, moaning instantly. "Oh my God, Regina! These are amazing!" Emma said through a mouth full, her right hand covering her mouth slightly. 

Regina blushed at the sounds Emma was making.  
"I made them this morning. Which one would you like, Henry?" Regina handed him a blackcurrant and apple fruit shoot as he looked through the picnic bag, picking up a tuna and mayonnaise sandwich with glee. 

"Thanks mom!" 

"You're welcome, my little prince. Now eat up, I can see how hard this one is working you!" Regina said, teasingly. 

"I'm fine, mom. I can take it. I'm strong. And I eat all the greens that you force down my throat."

"Ahem! I don't force anything down your throat. I merely advise that you eat them."

"Or else," Henry added on with a playful glare at Regina.

"Listen to your mom, Hen. She is usually right."

"I beg your pardon, Miss Swan. I am always right." Regina lifted her nose to the air at that.

"Oh no, you've got it tough, kid, with a mom like that. Let's lie in the grass and cry for all the times your mom proves she's always right!" 

"The grass is too itchy! Can we lie on a picnic blanket instead?"

"There'll be no lying anywhere, Henry. Now eat up. Miss Swan, I'll thank you not to put silly ideas in my son's head. Now, if you want another sandwich, I suggest you zip it."

"Yes, ma'am." Emma pretended to zip her mouth closed, smiling all the time as she reached for a bottle of water. 

Just as they finished their picnic, Emma's phone rang. When she checked the caller id, she saw it was Henry Sr.

"Hi Henry….yeah we are. Regina surprised us with a picnic… oh, wait, let me put you on speaker phone."  
Emma turned to look at Henry and Regina as she handed the kid her phone, "okay, you're on speaker phone now."

"Hi, Abuelo!", " Hi, papi." Henry and Regina both said together.

"Hello, you two. Henry, I just wanted to know if you would like to go see the new Avengers film with me? It's at two this afternoon. You are all invited, of course."

"Oooh, can we mom?" Henry asked, looking at Regina and giving her the most pleading puppy dog eyes she had ever seen whilst pouting his lips.

"Of course, my prince. But if you don't mind, I'll skip it."

"Do you want to join us, Emma," Henry asked.

"Nah, kid, I think I'll skip it too. I prefer… other types of films. Why don't just you and your grampa go yourselves? It can be a boys day out."

"Okay!" Henry grinned, looking at his digital watch. "It's already quarter past noon. I guess we should probably head back home so I can shower. Can I meet you at home, Abuelo?"

"That's fine, Henry. I'll be there at the back of one so we have time to get there and buy the tickets."

"Okay, see you then. Bye!"

"Bye everyone."

"Bye!" both Emma and Regina called back.

They then all packed up the picnic things and got ready to leave. Emma didn't really want to leave them. It was a Friday and she didn't really have any plans for the afternoon. And since Regina had taken the day off, she was also free… suddenly an idea struck her…

"Hey, Regina, do you want to come over to my place this afternoon? Maybe once the boys have left? I found something in August's things that you might find interesting."

"Oh, okay. In that case, why don't you come back with us now and then shower and change there. Then we can go back to your place together?" Truth be told, Regina didn't want to risk getting an Uber and then getting Mr Glass. What if Uber didn't deactivate him or worse yet, he found out they had reported him. She had looked into it and read that the drivers don't know who has given them what ratings or reported him, but she had a horrible feeling that Mr Glass would somehow find out.

"Okay, great. Let's go. Ready, kid?"

"Yep."   
__________________________________________

"Rare footage from the August Booth archives!" Emma chuckles gleefully. 

They were seated on the sofa - Emma even made popcorn and snacks - watching an old reel of film Emma forgot existed.

"How wonderful! Where did you find this?"

"I was snooping around. I found this in the back of his walk-in closet. It was in a box buried under his winter coats. There's footage here from before I met him, too."

"Is that August?" Regina gestured to a teenage boy with Auburn hair.

"Yep, that sure is. He was always horsing around. Oh, here's my graduation."

"From middle school, right?"

"Yeah, right. Middle school. I didn't even know he kept this. It was a few months after I got to this foster home. We just clicked right away." Emma had a far away look in her eyes.

"Did you always jump in with your clothes on?" Regina asked as she watched a young (and very cute)Emma, August and another little boy who looked younger than Emma, running along a pier and jumping into the lake with their clothes on.

"As a matter of fact, we only did it this one time. Lila was really pissed off with us for doing it. I don't think she knew we were going to do it when August handed her the camera." 

"Is that her? Lila?"

"Yeah, that's Miss Lila."

"She was very pretty."

"She still is… I've not seen her in a long time, but August kept in touch. I was shocked to find out she's on Facebook, I looked her up. Anyway…."

"So who took these pictures?"

"August mostly. He told me that Jared bought this camera not long after he got there. Thought he'd give up shrimping, the only thing he was good at... and make a fortune in film. Don't ask me how. Jared had the opposite of the Midas touch. Everything he touched turned to shit. He had to go back to shrimping in the end, which he had done by the time I got there."

"What is that?!" Regina gasped as a huge Bengal tiger appeared on screen. 

"That is one of Jared's all-time cockamamie schemes," Emma chuckled.

"What?" Regina asked, curiously.

"About three months after I got there, he bought this gas station. He thought a tiger would draw people by the thousands. All it did was scare them the hell away. The only one that wasn't afraid of that animal was August. He fed him. Took care of him. He had a lot of courage."

"What about you?"

"I didn't need any. I had August." Emma could feel Regina watching her closely. "Oh, this is the island. The only place Jared ever really owned. By the time this was taken, it was worthless. Not to Tommy, though. To him it was the most precious place in the world. When he was fourteen, he had gone to a boarding school in Georgia because Lila thought he needed to broaden his horizons, he only lasted about a month. He came back and swore he'd never leave it again. He didn't. Tommy was the only one of us that Lila ended up adopting, by the way. But only Lila adopted him. August and I were already long gone from that house, but we kept in touch with Tommy. He was our little brother, even though we were only together for a little while."

"What happened?"

"Lila and Jared finally divorced when Tommy was about eighteen. I would have been twenty-three at the time. Anyway, Lila got the island in the divorce settlement. She immediately sold it to the government for a lot of money. They wanted to put up a power plant. Tommy went crazy. He made some threats. The government laughed. He blew up a construction site. They quit laughing." Emma took a long sip of her beer.

"And then?"

"He went on waging his private war. Hurt some people. August and I tried to stop him, but the government stopped him first. Shot him in the head. Bingo. Would you like a cold drink?" Emma said, shooting up from the sofa. "Maybe a beer?"

"How did you deal with his death?" Regina persevered.

"I shut down like a broken motor," Emma said, as she grabbed two more beers from the fridge: one for Regina and one for herself. She opened them, giving Regina hers and downing her own.

"And according to the Southern way, still no tears." Regina stated rather than asked.

"Oh, I cry sometimes, Mills. I cry at weddings, at the Olympics, at the national anthem."

"But not over Tommy?" Regina pressed on, leaning forward and holding the beer bottle between both her hands as she stayed seated on the sofa.

"What the hell for? It wouldn't bring him back."

"But it might bring you back."


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We start with Sidney's POV in this chapter.

Sidney spotted them sitting at a table as soon as he was seated with his...date. That blond woman was with Dr Mills. He recognised Dr Mills instantly, even though she was turned away from him and he could only see the back of her. But her petiteness and the colour and style of her hair told him the woman seated there, with that other woman, was indeed Dr Mills. It infuriated him that she could be friends with such a rude and unattractive woman. And when Dr Mills turned around and looked at him with wide, panicked eyes, he just smiled back. She kept her panicked look before turning back to that other woman and they continued their conversation. Dr Mills ignored him completely, but the other woman would occasionally throw glares at him. He just smiled back, but inside he was raging. He spent most of his meal watching them and paying little attention to his companion. He would deal with her later, before taking her back to Queens. He couldn't concentrate on having a conversation now, not after spotting Dr Mills and this woman, obviously having an intimate looking dinner together. They looked a bit cosier than just friends. But he knew Dr Mills was married. To a fool, but married nonetheless. But here she was, having dinner, with a woman that was way out of her league. He watched as Emma smiled warmly at something Regina had said. And then, he was shocked when Dr Mills extended her arm and placed her hand on top of the other woman's on the table and stroked it gently. He wished he was closer so he could hear what they were talking about.

"Garrett? Garrett, are you even listening to me?" His companion was asking him, clearly frustrated at being ignored. He had given the brothel - where the had collected his date - a different ID, as he obviously couldn't be known there by his real name.

"Sorry, Maria," he said, looking at her and smiling apologetically. "What were you saying?"

She carried on with her story as his mind wandered back to the women a few tables over. He hadn't given either woman a ride for a few weeks now. He had dropped someone off who lived close to Dr Mill's apartment a few evenings ago. He had then decided to drive past her apartment and saw Dr Mills standing on the sidewalk. It looked like she was waiting for a ride. He waited a few minutes and he had thought of driving over and asking if she was looking for a ride. Just then, a car had stopped next to her - another Uber - and she got in. It was Daniel Colter. He recognised him in the driver's seat and his jealousy and rage suddenly spiked. Why didn't he get an alert? He was sure he was closer to her to get an alert from his Uber app. She must have given him a low rating. He knew that he had been reported a couple of times in the last couple of weeks, but didn't know who would dare report him. He was an impeccable Uber driver with a great record. He had suspected the horrid blonde - Dr Mills's so-called friend. Had she put Dr Mills up to this!? How dare she. Just then, he noticed the two women walking past him without so much as a glance in his direction. Not even a polite "good evening, Mr Glass" from Dr Mills. She completely ignored him as she was guided out the restaurant by that insufferable woman. 

He spent the rest of the evening raging internally as he pretended to listen to Maria babbling. He then took her back to his place and well, he honestly did intend on taking her back to Queens, but his rage had been bubbling over. Unfortunately for his companion, she looked a bit too much like his current obsession - he ended up being a bit too rough with her, when they had sex, and she ended up in a black garbage bag in his car's trunk. This was not his first kill.  
_______________________________________

After showing Regina some more of August's earlier footage, she persuaded Regina to let her teach her some more self-defence moves for different situations. She also asked Regina if she carried a can of pepper spray in her purse, to which responded by only rolling her eyes.

"Regina, I'm serious. Do you carry pepper spray in your purse?"

"No, Emma. I do not."

"Well, when I finish showing you these moves, we are going to the store to get you a couple of cans. I'm not kidding, Doc." 

They hadn't ended up at the store because after the two Henrys finished at the cinema, they ended up at Emma's apartment where they ordered take out and even Graham had joined them. It was after ten in the evening by the time everyone left. But the next morning, Emma made it her mission to go down to her local drug store to buy a couple of cans for Regina. She knew Regina didn't work weekends, so she phoned her and asked if she could drop by her home quickly as there were a couple of things she needed to speak to her about. Regina had told her that if she hurried up, she might get some pancakes. If Henry hadn't eaten them all. Emma had made it over there in record time. As it turns out, Regina had only just started making breakfast and when she had told Henry that Emma would be over for breakfast, he made sure that his mom made her ones with cinnamon sugar which she had once mentioned to him were the best. So she did.

Once breakfast was over - and Emma was done making embarrassing sounds over the deliciousness of the pancakes - Regina and Emma went into her home office, while Henry went to watch Saturday morning cartoons in the living room.

Once safely in her office, each with a fresh cup of coffee, Emma got out the two cans of pepper spray and handed them to Regina. 

"Here. Now put these in your purse. Or at least one in each. You probably have a few different courses to match your different fancy suits. I can get you more cans so you can have one for each purse," Emma smirked at Regina.

*Thank you, Miss Swan." Regina smirked right back as she took the two cans from Emma and put them on her desk.

"Do you, uh, do you want me to show you to use it?"

"For God's sake, Emma, I have a university degree in psychology. I think I can figure out how to use a damn can of pepper spray," Regina said, exasperated with the whole subject.

"Okay, okay," Emma lifted her hands in surrender. 

"So, you said there were a couple of things you needed to talk about…"

"Yeah. Firstly, I am going to be out of town for a few days. I, um, I contacted Lila. I'm going to go see her…"

"Oh, how long has it been since you last saw her?"

"Oh well, I saw her at Tommy's funeral. That was five years ago. We didn't talk much apart from me offering her my condolences. I guess the last time we properly spoke was just before August and I got moved from their home to a group home in Charleston. I was thirteen."

"I see. Why were you both moved?" 

"Oh, well, I do you mind if we put a pin in that topic? I'll tell you, but I need to speak to Lila first."

"Of course. Where does she live now?"

"In Georgia. She remarried. And her new husband is an even bigger asshole than Jared." Emma rolled her eyes here. "Anyway, I'll be driving over there so I'm not sure how long I'll take. I shouldn't be longer than a week."

"Emma, that's too far. And your car looks like it is unfit to even be seated in, nevermind driving across the country. Surely you can find a last-minute flight."

"Hey, don't talk about Roberta like that!" Emma pouted. 

"Excuse me, who's Roberta?" Regina asked, confused.

"My Bug. Keep up, Doc! Anyway, the flights are too overpriced. I can't afford it. Train fares are even more extortionate. And too long. I've been looking all morning since I spoke to Lila and told her I was coming to see her."

Silence. Emma could see Regina was thinking hard about something. 

"Anyway, I better get going. I need to pack and figure out my route. I'm leaving first thing tomorrow morning." 

"I'll pay for a return flight for you."

"Regina, it's too expensive. I still need to book a place to stay too."

"Look, if you book an early flight, it would only take a couple of hours, right? And then you could be back by Monday afternoon."

"Regina, I can't let-"

"Emma, come on now. I've not even paid you for Henry's karate lessons. You must have given him at least ten lessons by now. Please, let me pay for your flights at least. Besides, I need you here to help me with August. A week away is just too long."

Emma just looked at Regina. It really would be great to not have to drive all that way. She just wanted to get this talk with Lika done as quickly as possible.

"Okay. Thanks, Regina. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome. Come, let's book the flights now and then we can discuss the other thing you wanted to talk about." 

"Before she knew it, Regina booked a return flight to Atlanta and sneakily booked a room for Emma at the Comfy Inn close to where Lila lived, in Sandy Springs.

"Thanks a lot for this, Regina. I was actually dreading the drive over. Not because of the actual driving, just the reason for having to go there."

"You're welcome, Emma. So what was the other topic you wanted to discuss?"

"Oh, well, I've been thinking of joining the police force. I guess I just wanted to know what you thought of that and I might need a reference from you when I apply to the academy."

"Oh! Sure, of course. I think you would make a fine police officer, Emma." 

"Just fine? Come on, tell me what you really think."

"Better than fine, I guess I would just worry about the danger of that field. But I know you would be great at your job, Emma. I can see how much you enjoy helping people. The way you are helping August. The way you are helping Henry." Regina smiled warmly at Emma, knowing her well enough by now to see she would be a great asset to the police force. "So, would you stay in New York, then?"

"Yeah, looks like they have a good police training program here, it's seventeen weeks long and if I can secure a join, then they would pay for my training."

"Looks like you've done your research. I'll be happy to provide a professional assessment of your character and mental health," Regina said as she smirked at Emma.

"Hmmm, perhaps I'll ask your dad instead!" 

"Well, you certainly have him and my son wrapped around your finger."

"Great! I'll definitely get in, then! Anyway, I better go home and pack. See you on Tuesday afternoon then?" Emma said as she and Regina walked out to the entrance hall. Emma quickly popped into the living room to say bye to Henry and that she would probably only see him again on Wednesday for their next lesson.  
__________________________________________

On Monday morning, Emma was standing on Lila's front porch, a duffel over her shoulder. Her nerves were finally catching up with her. The last time she had seen Lila's now-husband was over fifteen years ago. It wasn't a great meeting for her.

Emma and a girl Mindy had been caught kissing in the girls' locker room. When another girl had walked into the locker room, Mindy pushed Emma off her straight away, swearing at her to keep away.

*FLASHBACK*

"I'm no dyke! Stay the hell away from me you lesbo!" Then Mindy ran out the girls' lockers, leaving Emma confused and wondering what the hell just happened.

Funny thing was that it was Mindy who had kissed Emma. Emma was just kissing her back. She'd always liked girls better than boys, but she'd never kissed a girl until this Mindy had pushed her up against a locker.

By the next day, the whole school knew about their kiss. Well, they knew that Emma had forcefully kissed Mindy - at least that is what Mindy had told everyone. That afternoon, after school, Lila had taken Emma over to Mindy's house to apologise to her parents - Rupert and Milah Golde -for corrupting their daughter.

They stood on the Golde's front porch - similar to this one - and Lila pressed the doorbell. As they waited for someone to answer it, Lila stood there admiring the view. 

"Well, isn't this lovely," she had said. 

Emma just rolled her eyes, not understanding why she was being made to apologise. She hadn't done anything wrong. Mindy had kissed her. Yes, Emma had thoroughly enjoyed the kiss, but that wasn't the point. And she had told Lila that it was Mindy who had kissed her, but Lila just wasn't listening. 

Then the door opened and the Golde's housekeeper invited them into the entrance hall, asking them to take a seat. Me Golde would be with them in just a moment. Lila told Emma to stop fidgeting when she kept swinging her legs as she sat. Then a door opened. A skinny man, with a cane, stepped out, smiling at Lila, but glaring at Emma.

"It is good of you to see us, Rupert," Lila said in a sickenly sweet voice.

"Well, it's my pleasure. You look mighty pretty today, as usual." 

This was the first time Emma was meeting this man and he was already creeping her out. His voice was weird too. He sounded like he had a Scottish accent mixed with the Southern twang. 

"Why I always say the most successful men are always the nicest," Lila responded, smiling at this man. Wait. Was she flirting with him? Ewww!

"Lila, if you just have a seat here… Emma and I are going to have a little talk in my study."

Emma followed Mr Golde into his office apprehensively. He closed the door and motioned for Emma to stand near his desk. He didn't offer her a seat. He simply walked - or more like limped -up to her, his cane clicking on the floor, stood in front of her and gave her a shrewd look. Then SLAP. His left hand struck her left cheek as he backhanded her. She wasn't expecting that, instantly holding her hand up to her cheek as it throbbed in pain and tears stung her eyes. Dammit, she wasn't going to cry. She wouldn't give this asshole the satisfaction. 

"If you ever touch my daughter again, or even look in her direction...you're gonna be crab bait all over this river, you queer! A street-rat never touches a Golde. If you tell anybody I hit you, I'm going to make sure that Lila - or any family for that matter - never adopts you. You are a worthless orphan. You should be grateful that Lila took you in. Is this really how you repay her for her kindness towards you? Now get out of here."

*END OF FLASHBACK*

The door opened and there stood Mr Golde, still clutching a cane.

"Hello, Emma," he said with little emotion.

"Hello, Rupert. I'm here to see Lila."

"Well, come on in. She's expecting you." 

Emma followed Rupert into the living room and then he excused himself, citing he had business to attend to. She had put down her bag just to the side as she entered the living room, and walked towards Lila. 

"Hello, dear," Lila stood as she greeted Emma.

"Hi. Wealth becomes you, Lila, " Emma said as she looked around the living room. Everything in it looked expensive. There was even a huge oil painting of Lila above a fireplace: looked like it had been done recently. "You got what you wanted, didn't you?"

"Don't start, please. Have a seat. Tell me why you're here."

"August tried to kill himself," Emma said as she found herself a seat on an armchair across from Lila, who had sat back down on a sofa. "I've been in New York, speaking to his psychologist. We are trying to figure out why he did it."

"I see. And….what exactly are you telling this shrink?" Lila sounded worried. Not for August, but for her selfish self. Emma just rolled her eyes.

"Anything that might help him get better. Lila...I'm gonna tell Dr Mills about that night."

"I don't know what you mean," Lila said as her face paled.

"Oh, yeah, you do, Lila. Yeah, you do."

"We made a promise never to speak about that. I expect you to keep it." Lila sat up straighter if that was even possible. 

"We were kids. It was a stupid promise. And I think... ...it'd help August to talk about it."

"This is my life too. It's private. I wanna keep it private. I am not going to shame Rupert."

How the hell would Lila be shaming Rupert? Emma thought. "At the expense of helping August? Someone who always defended you saved you from-"

"Stop exaggerating!" Lila snapped.

"Don't make me feel bad about this, Lila. You know, I didn't have to come over here to tell you." 

"I don't wanna talk about it," Lila said, in her haughty tone.

"That's always been the problem!" Emma stood up, unable to stay sitting still any longer. 

"Your problem is, you dwell too much on the past. I never look back. When I say goodbye to something, I close the door, and I never think about it again."

"What about Tommy?" Emma asked angrily.

"What about him?" Lila paled again.

"Do you ever think about Tommy? Does he ever even cross your mind?" Emma did feel guilty asking this question. She knew Lila had loved Tommy like he was her son. More so than her biological son, even. And Emma never felt any resentment towards Tommy or Lila. Tommy was a really cute and genuinely kind person so she didn't blame Lila for wanting to adopt him and not her. 

"Who taught you to be so cruel?" Lila asked, her throat tight and her eyes glistening.

"You did, Lila. You did. You also taught me that even though someone nearly destroys your life... ...you can still feel love for them." Emma sat back down, next to Lila this time, and took Lila's hands between her own. 

"Is that supposed to warm my heart?"

"You have to be patient with me, Lila. You've done a lot to piss me off, but you were the closest thing I had to a mother, and I really did love you even though you sent August and me away…"

"I… I didn't think that you two would want to stay after what happened. If I knew you wanted to stay…. I never wanted you to go, Emma. You were my baby girl. But after what…. After what he did…" Lila couldn't bring herself to say his name."

"I wanted to stay, Lila. So did August. What happened wasn't your fault. You were just as much a victim."

Emma pulled Lila into a hug as they both spilt tears over their mistaken assumptions. Things could have been so different for all of them if one of them had just said something. But then she might not have given birth to Henry...

"When August is better, I want you to come to New York to see him," Emma whispered in her ear.

"I'd like that," Lila pulled back from the hug to grab a tissue. She dabbed her eyes as she continued, "though it would probably be just me. Rupert doesn't like to travel."

"Great!" Emma smiled. Not just because Lila agreed, but also because she didn't think she could stomach being in Rupert Gold's company longer than she had to.

They made a bit more conversation about August, but eventually, it was time for Emma to leave. She had a plane to catch and she'd rather be at the airport early with time to kill.

Emma grabbed her bag and Lila walked her out to the entrance hall. They had just neared the front door when it opened and a man walked in.

He was just removing his jacket when Emma paled, recognising him instantly. It had been over ten years since she last saw him, but he hadn't changed at all. Maybe just a bit heavier, but he still had the same scruffy beard. And when he saw her, his own eyes widened as he recognised her as well."

"Emma," was all he could say.

"Neal!?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun... What do you think Neil is doing at the Golde's residence?


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On her way to Regina's home, from the airport, Emma thinks back on her and Neal's conversation.

Damn Neal! Fuck! 

Instead of going straight home from the airport, as she had planned, she got a cab outside the airport and gave them Regina's home address. She had called her first, to make sure she was home. It was after five when her plane touched down at JFK and she was finally able to call Regina while she was in the queue for the cabs outside the Arrivals. By the time she would get there, it would be after six in the evening so Regina told her she'd have dinner waiting for her. Emma was grateful, but her appetite had waned since her meeting with Neil earlier that day. Now, as she sat back and relaxed in the cab, she thought back yet again to the horrible position that bastard had put her in. He really was his father's son.

*FLASHBACK*

He was just removing his jacket when Emma paled, recognising him instantly. It had been over ten years since she last saw him, but he hadn't changed at all. Maybe just a bit heavier, but he still had the same scruffy beard. And when he saw her, his own eyes widened as he recognised her as well."

"Emma," was all he could say.

"Neal!?"

Lila had looked between the two. "Do you two know each other?"

"Yeah," Neal had said. 

Emma responded with "Unfortunately, we do." She turned back to Lila, "What the fuck is he doing here, Lila?"

"Emma," Lila had chided her. "Neal is Rupert's son from his first marriage. He is Mindy's elder brother." Lila had given Emma a look when she said Mindy's name.

"Un-fucken-believable," Emma said as she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. 

"Wait, you know my sister? How? And what are you doing at my dad's house?"

"It is my house too, Neal. Now, are you two going to tell me how you know each other?" Lila asked, impatiently.

"She was my girlfriend," Neal said, sounding annoyingly smug.

"Neil, here, set me up to take the fall for some watches he stole. He buggered off and I ended up in juvie for 11 months because of this asshole."

"Is that a fact?" Came a voice from behind them. "Neal, is this true?" Rupert Golde stepped forward, a look of indifference on his face.

"Of course not, dad," Neal scoffed. "I had nothing to do with that. When I got back to meet you at the motel room, like we had planned, you were gone. I thought you had just left me, Em."

"For God's sake, I don't have time for this bullshit. You're a, what? thirty-eight-year-old man, Neal. Time to own up to your faults." She turned to Lila, gave her a quick hug goodbye, whispered about hoping to see her in New York soon and then tried to leave. Neil blocked her way.

"Em, wait. We need to talk"

"My name is Emma. Now get the fuck out of my way or I'll hit you. Just like your dad hit me when he thought I had kissed his darling Mindy."

"Rupert! Is that true?" Lila asked her husband, shocked. 

"I… I did." At least he had the decency to look ashamed as he blushed and looked away from his wife.

"Well, I'll leave you guys to your family meeting. I have a plane to catch." Emma tried to leave again, but Neil grabbed her arm. "Let. Me. Go!" Emma growled. 

"Fine, but I'm taking you to the airport. There's something I need to tell you. It's about…" he looked back at his dad before continuing in a whisper "... It's about the baby." He finally let her go.

Emma paled and just about threw up her breakfast. How the fuck did he know about her pregnancy?

"Fine. But we have to leave right now. I don't want to miss my flight." 

Emma stormed off and left a baffled Lila and Rupert behind. No doubt, they would be talking. And knowing Lila shed be giving him a good tongue lashing. The thing about Lila was that she always protected her kids from physical harm if she could. She had damn well tried that night…

Neal led her to an old beat down ford escort which had seen better days. It looked worse than her bug, which now that she thought about, she didn't know why she had kept after all. She only had it thanks to Neal, and she couldn't think of that many good memories associated with him. She'd sell it once she got back to New York.

They hadn't been on the road for more than five minutes before Neal spoke up. 

"So, you kissed my sister?"

"No. She kissed me. Pay attention, Neil." 

"When did that even happen? I thought she was happily married to Will." 

"How the fuck should I know? I was thirteen when she kissed me. Then she called me a dyke and told me to stay away from her when somebody caught us in the girls' locker room. Next day it was all around school that I forced myself on her. I was only thirteen, Neil. She was fifteen. Then I had to go apologise to her and your parents! Fuck that. You Goldes are all miserable assholes."

"Hey, my mom wasn't," Neal said in a warning tone.

"Well hurrah for her. Lila told me that she had left your dad for a one-handed hooligan. I suppose anyone is better than your dad. Except for you, of course." Emma looked at Neil, here.

"So, how do you know Lila?"

"Not that it's any of your business but she fostered August and me for a while. He was already at her home for almost a year before I got there.  
Now tell me, why the fuck did you lie to your dad about the watches and about how you let me take the fall for you? Let me guess, he doesn't know his precious son is a thief?"

"Was. But yeah, he doesn't know anything about my life after I left home. As you know, I changed my surname to Cassidy. It was my mother's maiden name."

Emma sighed. She really didn't want to be in this car with Neal, she'd even jump out of this car if her curiosity wasn't gnawing away at her. She needed to know what Neal knew about her baby. Well, Regina's baby.

"So, spill it, Neal. What is it that you think you know about a baby?"

"My baby, Emma. My baby. You just gave him away." Neal had the gall to sound angry.

"No, Neal! You gave up any right you had to him the moment you left me and let me go to jail for a bunch of watches that you fucking stole. So whatever hair-brained scheme you have going in your puny little head, I suggest you just forget about it. I gave up my son to give him a better chance in life. I made sure he went to a good family."

"Except he didn't, did he? His so-called father is a thief too! Yeah, I know all about Robin Locksley. Sure his wife is a hot little shrink-"

"Wait just a God-damn minute, Neal, how the fuck do you know all this? It was a closed adoption. Besides, Robin is a world-famous classical violinist."

"Yeah, that's what he hides behind. But he's been laundering money for many years. We used to be partners years ago. And how do I know the baby? I had someone keep tabs on you from the inside. To make sure you were well treated. They told me you were pregnant and that you gave it up." 

"Who? Who was your informant, Neal?" 

"None of your concern," he said, keeping his eyes on the road.

"You are an unimaginable bastard, Neal. What about his wife? Was she in on it?" She knew Regina wasn't. She couldn't be…"

"No, she's clueless. Nevertheless, I'm getting my son back."

"No, Neal. Just leave them alone. Besides, no judge in his right mind would give you custody of any child." Emma was panicking here. "Besides, if you were so desperate to have your son, why wait ten years to claim him, huh?"

"I've been… away," Neil had the cheek to look embarrassed.

"Away? Away, where?"

"Neverland?" 

"Neverland? Is that code for something or are you high on drugs?" 

When Neal remained silent, she thought back to what the hell it meant. Was it something from their past?

"Just tell me, Neal. I don't have time for your petty mind games."

"Fine," Neal sighed. "I've been in a federal prison in California for the past nine years. I got out on parole a few months ago. My dad came to get me and I've been staying with him and Lila." 

"Federal prison? Jesus, Neal, and you think you can get custody of someone else's son? You are stupider than I thought. And what does your daddy think you went to a federal prison for if he doesn't know you're a thief?"

"I didn't tell him the real reason. Anyways, he's my son, Emma. Mine! Robin doesn't even look after him properly. That shrink is basically a single parent. And she's too busy with her career to look after him properly, anyway."

Emma was trying not to show how worried she was about this. When they were together, Neal usually got what he wanted, including her. She had to warn Regina.

"So what's your plan, then? No judge will grant you custody, Neal."

"Well, my dad is a very good lawyer. And he has connections. He has a few judges in his pocket in several different states, including New York. Robin owes some people money, too. Some very dangerous people. I could easily blackmail him. He'd give up the boy without batting an eyelid."

"Maybe he would. But what about his wife? You don't think she'd fight for her son?"

"Nah, not for the amount of trouble I could cause her. She wouldn't deem it worth the fight."

"Are you even listening to yourself, Neal? She's been his mother for the past ten years. Of course, she will fight for him. Any mother would. Whatever you are planning, just keep me out of it!" Fuck, she has to warn Regina! 

"Yeah, well, you gave him away just like a piece of trash! I can't believe you did that after everything you went through in the system!" Neal indicated to the left as he drove towards the ramp for Atlanta Airport.

"Oh like I had any choice, Neal. I was seventeen, for fucks sake. And in Juvie. How was I going to look after a baby, never mind myself? The baby was born before I even got out. I couldn't exactly look after a baby whilst inside a juvenile prison cell!"

"You could have asked August to look after him until you got out, Em!" 

"Oh right, yeah. And what about a job, huh? What was I going to do to get money to raise a baby without a job? Did you think I'd go back to shoplifting? I made sure he got adopted, Neil. I had a good prison warden who helped me. Just leave it alone, Neil. What do you want with a kid, anyway? Teach him your thievery ways? What landed you in federal prison, anyway? Surely not just a petty crime. Must have been something pretty bad."

"None of your business," Neal huffed. They had just pulled up at the drop off zone by the airport's departures, and Neal looked pretty pissed off. She didn't even know why he had told her all this if he hadn't expected her to help him.

"Neal, how do you even know about where Robin and his family live? Are you having them followed?" Emma panicked as she wondered if Neal knew her connection to Regina and her son. Did Neal know something?

"Goodbye, Emma. Maybe I'll see you in New York sometime," was all he said as he looked at her and smiled his smarmy smile. 

Emma grabbed her bag from the back seat and got out without responding or looking at him. She slammed the passenger door shut extra hard, hoping it would break off, and stormed into the airport. 

*END OF FLASHBACK*

"We're here, Miss." The cab driver politely said, bringing Emma, bringing Emma out of her thoughts.

"Sorry, I was away in a dream." Emma paid the driver, leaving him a good tip, and got out. 

Now she had to go face Regina. She kind of hoped Henry Sr would be there, too. Regina would need all the support she could get after Emma revealed her news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think of Neil's plan. Who do you think his informant is? How do you think Regina will react to Emma's news?


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma meets another man from her past and has a quick private talk with Regina.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mary-Margaret will sometimes be shortened to MM in this chapter and probably throughout the rest of this fic when/if she appears again.
> 
> This chapter sort of wrote itself. I do hope you like it.

To say that Emma Swan was a nervous wreck as the lift took her up to Regina's apart was an understatement. When she saw her reflection in the mirror-lined interior, she wished she'd gone to her apartment first, just to freshen up. Her whole demeanour screamed petrified. How would Regina react to the news? Would she think that Emma had planned this all along? To take Henry away from her? No! I'd never take Henry away from his mom! First of all, she needed to make sure that Regina and her dad; and Henry too, knew that she would never do that to them. How would she even broach the thing about Robin? Was it even true or was Neal just making it all up? 

The lift dinged and the doors seemed to open in slow motion. She made her way to Regina's door and rang the doorbell, then wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans while she waited for someone to open it.

It also seemed like forever and a second before someone - Henry Sr in fact - answered the door.

"Emma!" he greeted her cheerfully, motioning for her to enter.

"Hiya, Henry. How are you?"

"Good, good. But pardon my bluntness, dear, are you feeling alright? You look quite pale. Did travelling not agree with you?" Henry looked genuinely worried."

"Oh, uh, you could say that… I sort of ran into someone… from my past. Um, is dinner ready or will I have time to speak to -" 

"Emma Swan? Is that really you?"

Emma turned to the voice who called her name and firstly stood there in shock. Then, before she knew what she was doing, her legs carried her swiftly towards the man who had called her name and she threw her arms around his neck and sobbed. Whether in relief or anguish, she didn't know, but she knew she was happy to see him again.  
___________________________________

45 minutes earlier.

Regina had just gotten off the phone with an anxious sounding Emma. She seemed quite desperate to speak to her and Regina wondered if it had to do with her talk with her former foster mother or perhaps something important she discovered about August. Either way, she couldn't deny Emma. She invited her over for dinner, which Emma thanked her for, but before she was able to tell her that her friend - and receptionist - Mary-Margaret and her husband, David, we're joining them, Emma had already hung up.

"Was that Emma? Is she coming over?" her son asked, hopefully. 

"Yes, she is," Regina responded with a smirk at her son. She put her phone back down on the kitchen island and finished preparing dinner. "Henry, please can you go set a place at the table for Emma. She'll be here in about half an hour or so. She's coming straight from the airport." Regina then put the last layer of the lasagna together, added three different types of grated cheddar on top and stuck it in the oven. She put the timer on just as the doorbell sounded. It was Mary-Margaret and David. They all got comfortable, on the stools at the kitchen island, catching up and drinking Henry Sr's apple cider, when Henry Jr came back and told them, excitedly, that Emma was joining them.

"Who's Emma, kiddo?" David chuckled at Henry's glee. 

"Oh, she's my karate instructor. And moms news friend." Henry smiled brightly at his mom which made the heart melt. Since Emma spoke to Henry about being an orphan herself and told him how lucky he was to have Regina as his mom, he had become very affectionate towards his mom. Even more so than before bye found out he was adopted. 

They all chatted for a bit more before Henry dragged David to his bedroom to show him his new comics. Mary-Margaret stayed behind in the kitchen, catching up with Regina. Even though she worked part-time as Regina's receptionist, they didn't have time to talk much at work. Probably because Regina was a workaholic and didn't have time to chit chat. Tonight's dinner date had been planned about three weeks prior. It was the first week David had the day shift at work - he had wanted to come and see Regina's son whom he hadn't seen for over a month. Henry thought of "MM" and David as his aunt and uncle. Since David started working as an under-sheriff in New Jersey a few years ago, he was able to spend more time with Henry. He and MM had moved to New Jersey from Arizona and MM had reconnected with Regina. They grew up together and were best friends. Everyone thought they made an odd pair considering they were opposites in every sense, but somehow they had clicked and stayed in touch after going their separate ways after college. MM followed her then-boyfriend, David, to Arizona. He had gotten a job as a juvenile prison warden and loved it. Helping troubled kids was his passion and he was able to do a lot of help in Arizona. MM got a job as a receptionist at a private dental practice. Hence, she and David got excellent dental care and sparkling white teeth. Then a couple of years ago, his sister - Katherine - got into a traffic accident with her husband. Unfortunately, her husband was killed but Katherine came away practically unscathed. Apart from her mental health. She started seeing Regina, on MM's recommendation, and that's how she and Regina became friends. David wanted to move closer to Katherine, so he applied for a job closer to her and got the under-sheriff position quite quickly. Now the only problem was that his deputy had resigned quite unexpectedly, which left him short-staffed and exhausted. When he had mentioned his predicament to Regina, she instantly thought of Emma and she told him she started asking questions about what qualifications one would need to become a deputy sheriff.

"Why, are you thinking of a career-change, Regina?" David asked, chuckling.

"Haha! Not for me, Emma used to be a bounty hunter in Tallahassee. Since moving here, she's thinking of joining the police force." Regina thought this would be a great opportunity for Emma. 

"Well, I would be happy to speak to her about it if she's serious," David offered kindly.

"Cool, Emma would be a great cop!" Henry shouted out for which Regina gave him a look which told him to tone it down. "Oops, sorry mom. Uncle Dave, can you come to my room? I want to show you my new comics."

"Sure thing, Hen." David followed the boy, leaving the girls to talk. 

Henry Sr stayed in the kitchen, reading the newspaper and occasionally participating in their conversation until the doorbell rang again and he excused himself to answer it so that Regina could enjoy her chat with MM.

Back in Henry's bedroom, they were catching up as Henry talked more about Emma, showing David some of the karate moves he had learnt. Fortunately, Henry's room was quite spacious so he was able to show off quite a bit and David was genuinely impressed. He wanted to ask Henry how he got into karate since he didn't think Robin would be happy having Henry do a sport which could hurt his hands. He didn't like Robin to say the least. Even MM - who liked everyone - disliked him. They couldn't understand why someone as wonderful as Regina could have married him. But they MM didn't want to interfere. Again. Especially not now after accidentally letting the secret of Henry's adoption out the bag to Henry. It took almost six months before Regina finally forgave MM for her blunder.  
Just as he was about to ask Henry about the karate, the doorbell rang again. 

"That must be Emma," Henry said excitedly. "Come on, she's so cool! You have to meet her."

"Oy, what am I now? Chopped liver?" David chuckled, jokingly as he followed Henry towards the entrance hall. He was about to warn Henry not to run with his socks when he caught sight of the woman Henry was gushing about, and stopped dead in his tracks, completely shocked to see the girl he had once mentored at the Arizona Juvenile Prison more than ten years ago. He was almost speechless but managed to croak out something intelligible.

"Emma Swan? Is that really you?"

After getting a look of utter shock from her, Emma had barrelled into him, throwing her arms around his neck and sobbed. She held on tightly and he returned the hug by wrapping his arms around her back just as tightly, his own eyes stinging.

Both Henrys looked at them in wide-eyed surprise and then Regina and MM came out of the kitchen to see what all the commotion to find Emma and David in their tight embrace. They could hear Emma was trying to stifle her sobs. They looked at each other and then the two Henrys, before looking back at Emma and David.

"David, honey? Are you okay?" MM asked her husband tentatively. 

"Emma? Are you alright?" Regina asked, concerned for her new friend. 

After a few moments, the pair released each other. Henry Sr - the gentleman that he was - offered Emma a tissue to dry her tears for which she mouthed a thank you to him. 

David turned to his wife and smiled as he walked to her and gently took her hand. She smiled back and gently lifted a hand to one of his wet cheeks. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, better than okay," he smiled. "Honey, this is Emma Swan. The Emma Swan."

Mary-Margaret's eyes widened in recognition.

"From Arizona?" David just nodded as he smiled. "Oh my goodness," MM then looked at Emma, "all these weeks and I never put two and two together. He spoke about you so often, Emma. What has it been? Ten years?"

"Yeah, something like that," Emma chuckled through some tears. "I also never thought about it, even though he was always talking about you too. And he always brought me everything you baked. I still remember your amazing apple and cinnamon turnovers."

Ding-Ding Ding

"Ahem," Regina cleared her throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but would you not prefer to come into the warmth and comfort of the dining room. Dinner is ready and I'm sure you would be more comfortable at the table for your catch up."

"Of course, thank you, Regina. Would you like some help dishing up?" MM asked politely.

"Yes, thanks. The rest of you please go grab a seat at the table. We will be with you shortly."

Regina and MM went back to the kitchen as the others made their way to the dining room. She and MM made quick work of dishing everyone's plate and then expertly took them through, Regina then went back for her own and her dad's plates, quickly putting a garlic bread loaf into the oven and setting the timer for five minutes. And all the while remembering Emma telling her about being in juvenile prison, having a baby and how the man who was the prison warden at the time, helped her get in touch with an adoption agency. Could it really be? Could Emma really be Henry's birth mother? And will she want Henbry back when she finds out? Because she will find out at some point. Well, she'll be in for a fight because Regina will never give up Henry. But Regina was getting ahead of herself. She didn't want to lose Emma's friendship. Dammit, fate was never on her side. If it comes to choosing between a new friendship and Henry then, of course, she'll always choose her son.

"Hey, are you okay in here?" 

It was Emma, if course it was Emma coming to check on her. 

"Sure. Just waiting for the Garlic bread. Are you?"

"Yeah, better now. Thanks," Emma smiled shyly. 

"So… you knew David from when you were in juvenile prison?" Emma just nodded. "And he was the one who helped you find an adoption agency?"

"Yeah. Yeah, he was. Look, Regina. There's-"

"I'll fight for Henry. You know that, right? He's my son! Mine!" Regina said, her eyes glistening. She had her hackles up and Emma didn't blame her. Regina is Henry's mom. Legally and rightfully. 

"Yeah, I know," Emma said calmly. "And I hope you win, but it won't be me trying to take him from you, Regina. You are his mom. And you are my friend. You're the first friend I've made in a long time. I would never do that to you. Or Henry. Or your dad. I've kinda fallen in love with you all." Emma's tears fell as she admitted how much she cared for this family. Regina's heart tightened. More than anything, she felt relieved. She wouldn't lose her son or her friend today. 

"You've known since Henry told you he was adopted, haven't you?"

"Well, I've had my suspicions, but only because he happened to reveal his birth date. What are the odds, right? And then his similarities to Neal seemed quite obvious."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Regina demanded, angrily wiping away her tears. 

"I… I didn't have enough facts. I was going to ask you some questions once I got back from seeing Lila. But just to confirm. Henry is your son, Regina. Do you remember what I told you at that fancy French restaurant that night?"

Regina thought back to that evening, remembering it fondly. It was quite intimate and anyone who might be watching them would probably have thought that they were on a date. Regina blushed at the thought. Then she recalled what Emma had told her.

"You said that you would be thrilled if you knew your kid ended up with me." Regina bit her trembling bottom lip.

"Damn right I would," Emma said, stepping bravely forward and lifting her hands to wipe Regina's wet cheeks with her thumbs. "I am fucking thrilled," Emma smiled brightly. She had whispered the curse word. 

Regina couldn't help but smile back at Emma. 

"Everything okay here?" Regina's dad asked, coming in to catch their intimate moment. 

"Yes, Papi. Everything is just fine," Regina smiled warmly at her dad as Emma stepped back.

The timer for the Garlic bread went off, and Regina got it out as Henry and Emma took the plates through and sat down. Regina followed shortly after with the garlic bread and a bottle of her finest pinot noir.

Once drinks were poured - Apple juice for Hen - Regina finally sat down at the head of the table.

"Salut, everyone! Here's to old friends and new ones," Regina smiled warmly as everyone cheered and took a sip of their drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise to address the Neal issue in next chapter


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma tells Regina about Neal's threats.

Emma and David caught up during dinner, David telling her about why he and MM had moved to New York state and how he was the under-sheriff in New Jersey. He told Emma that Regina had informed him that her friend was thinking of joining the force. He was thrilled to find out it was Emma. He told her about the deputy under-sheriff position that was available if she was serious about joining the police force. If she accepted the position, then her 17-week training program would be paid for and she'd get the starting salary whilst training. Emma seemed quite excited and they made plans to meet up to discuss the application. 

Everyone enjoyed their dinner and dessert - which happened to be apple crumble. It reminded Regina to tell Emma that MM's apple and cinnamon turnovers were her recipe which MM stole. It was all said in good humour and Regina had playfully glared before winking at MM. After everyone left the table, Emma asked if she could help with cleaning anything in the kitchen, but the two Henrys told her that was their job, so Emma asked Regina if they could please go speak in her office as she had something important that she needed to discuss. She also asked if David could join them since this involved the matter they had discussed in the kitchen.

"Don't worry. I meant what I said earlier," Emma said when she noticed Regina's concerned face. "I just think we need to speak with David as he may know some of the information I've just recently become aware of." 

"Alright, go into my office and I'll go get David." 

Emma did as she was told, and waited nervously on a sofa.

Regina went to find David, who had gone off with Mary Margaret to the kitchen. They usually ended up there after dinner because it was such a big and sociable place to be. She did find him there and asked him to join her and Emma in her office, promising Henry she wouldn't keep him away too long.

"I'll be back soon, kiddo," David told Henry and then followed Regina to her office. 

Regina motioned for him to go in as she saw her son sneak off to the living room. "Henry, have you finished your homework?"

"Yep. Abuelo helped me with my algebra earlier. That's all I had." 

"Okay, sweetheart. I won't keep David for too long."

She went into her office and closed the door behind her, finding Emma and David sitting on the sofa conversing about their shared past. She crossed the room and seated herself in her usual armchair.

"Ahem," she cleared her voice, "so what did you want to discuss, Emma?"

"Well, I was just telling David about my recent visit to see Lila. He knows some of my foster home's history, and he knows August too. August used to visit me in Arizona and he and David got to know each other."

"Yes, I'm very sorry to hear about August. He and I became good friends and stayed in touch for a while after Emma left. He did tell me some of his history too. From even before he met Emma. Perhaps I may know some things that may help him, Regina."

"I see," Regina was a little conflicted since August was her patient. She wasn't sure how happy he would be about her seeking help from his friends. Emma's case is different because he put her down as his sister as well as his emergency contact. "Thank you, David. I'll keep that in mind."

"Sorry, Regina," Emma now sounded unsure about revealing anything to David. But she knew he was a discreet person and wouldn't say anything. Not even to his wife. 

"It's alright, Emma. I know you meant well. I'm just not wanting to reveal too much since August is my patient after all."

"Yeah, I get that. David won't say anything," Emma said, looking at David.

"Of course not. Not even to MM. Whatever is shared here in this office will stay here." David looked at each woman. 

"Alright, well, what did you need to tell me, Emma?"

Emma took a deep breath before revealing her encounter with Neal.

"When I was about to leave Lila's home this morning, a man came in through the front door. Another man from my past. Do you remember me telling you about Neal?" Emma sounded angry as she spoke his name. 

Both Regina and David gasped.

"Neal!?" David shouted, then apologised. "Sorry. What was he doing there?" David sounded angry on Emma's behalf.

"I'll tell you in a moment, David," Emma said, still looking at Regina.

"Yes, I remember you told me that he was your boyfriend and he set you up for those watches he stole. What… what was he doing there?"

"Well, ironically, it turns out that he is Lila's stepson. Anyway, to cut a long story short, he knows about the baby I gave up. He had a… he told me that someone from inside juvie was getting information to him about me. He wouldn't tell me who. I honestly don't know anyone who could have betrayed me. I know it wasn't Graham. He loathed Neal, who had the nerve to accuse me of being a bad mother for giving his son away…"

"His son!?" Regina shouted, standing up immediately. "He can go to hell!"

"Yeah, I told him as much. But he is going to fight for Henry, Regina. I told him he would never win, but his dad is a sneaky lawyer who, according to Neal, has judges in his pockets. Even judges in New York State. That's why I came straight here from the airport. Then I saw David and my emotions sort of just…" 

"How did he even find out who adopted your baby? David, what do you think?" 

"Damn, I've been thinking about this since Emma mentioned someone leaking information. I do remember Ruby Lucas hanging around my office a lot. She always looked busy, either sweeping the floors or emptying trash bins etc. You two were pretty inseparable, weren't you, Emma?"

Emma had paled at the mention of her friend's name. 

"Yeah. We were really close. She and Graham even got together in a relationship, but no one knew. Sorry, David. She was my friend and I'm no snitch." Emma sounded so sad, Regina wanted to hug her.

"That's okay, Em. I already knew about them. Anyway, do you think she may have been Neal's inside informant?"

"I don't know," Emma shrugged. "But I had confided in her about everything. But not even I knew who my son would be adopted by. She - or someone - must have been eavesdropping or maybe they searched your office. Bugged your phone line? I honestly can't even think about Ruby betraying me like this. Are you sure you didn't see anyone else snooping around?"

"I'll have to think about it. It was ten years ago, but I'm sure we will get to the bottom of this."

"Okay, thanks. In the meantime, there's something else that Neal told me, but I don't know how true it is. I don't think he realises that…..oh fuck! Shit! " Emma stood up with her face in her hands. She cannot believe her stupidity for giving herself away as she did. 

"What?" Regina asked, tersely.

"I was going to say I don't think Neal knows my connection to you, but I think I gave him enough information for him to realise I know Robin. Neal told me that he knew Robin a long time ago. They were partners and laundered money together. He didn't give me details, but I told him that Robin was a world-famous classical violinist. He didn't react to me knowing Robin's profession, though. But maybe he just didn't connect the dots. He said that Robin hides behind playing the violin…? I don't know what to think about that, Regina. But I know that you need a lawyer. I know you will fight for Henry and I will do everything in my power to help you. One very good thing on our side is that Neal's been in federal prison for the past nine years and only got out a couple of months ago. He didn't tell me what his crime was, though. There's no way any judge will grant him custody of any child. Especially one who is legally yours Regina. He, um… also said that Robin owes money to some dangerous people and that he would more than likely give up Henry if it saved his skin… I am sorry, Regina. I know this is a lot to take in. I'm sorry I was ever involved with him." Emma looked utterly miserable. 

Regina was still standing, her arms folded vulnerably across her stomach. She didn't say anything for a few moments, looking deep in thought. 

Then finally, "Robin's family owns a forestry business. It belonged to his grandfather and was passed down to his father and then to Robin. He… he claims to want nothing to do with it, but he does manage the finances for his brother, Will. Do you think he could be using that company as a smokescreen for...for laundering money?" Regina had paled as she said her thoughts out loud.

"I can look into it, Regina," David offered. "It's certainly possible, but don't let him know anything when he gets back home this weekend. Just act normal."

"Normal?" Regina snorted through a teary laugh. "I've just been told my husband may be involved in a federal crime. And that he'd be willing to give up my son in exchange for saving himself from dangerous people he owes money to - probably the mob, for all I know! Shit! How the hell am I going to fight-" Regina put a hand over her mouth to stifle a sob and perhaps her nausea at this whole situation. All this time she thought Robin was having an affair. She'd gladly take that over the information she'd just gotten. 

Emma was up instantly, rubbing Regina's back, trying to offer some sort of comfort. Looking at Emma, she could see the anguish she was in herself, probably blaming herself for this situation. If it wasn't for Emma, she wouldn't have Henry in the first place. Sure, perhaps she and Robin would probably have adopted another child if Henry hadn't come along. But it wouldn't have been the boy that she loved so fiercely. 

"Regina," Emma interrupted her thoughts, "do you have a good lawyer?"

"Robin and I have a lawyer together… but it was Robin who hired her as our lawyer so I'm not sure if I trust her now," Regina said, bitterly. Though, their lawyer did also help them when they adopted Henry.

"Who is it? I may know her," David asked. Being an under-sheriff, he works with many different attorneys. Some were good and some not.

"Mallory Vincent."

"Mallory Vincent? Regina, she's a really good lawyer. She's won a lot of cases and done quite a bit of pro bono work for family law such as adoptions and the social work side of kids in the system. She's also represented a lot of high-interest cases, one of which put Rudolph Smee in prison. She's good. Not corrupt. I wonder how Robin got her. Perhaps we shouldn't call him guilty yet if Mallory agreed to be his lawyer."

"Who is Rudolph Smee?" Emma asked curiously.

"You mean you've not heard of him?" Regina asked Emma in disbelief. "His case was known across America... He was responsible for taking kids, that he was meant to be fostering, to a warehouse in Brooklyn and leaving them there for the day in exchange for a lot of money. And then he would fetch them at the end of their "workday" and take them back to his home. He didn't care for them very well." Many were malnourished."

"What… what kind of work did the kids do at the warehouse?" Emma suspected she already knew, but asked nervously, anyway.

"They…. They were raped, Emma. My dad was one of the psychologists on the case. He always looked so haunted when he came home after speaking to some of those children. He retired shortly after the case was closed."

"When did this happen? What kind of sentence did Smee get for doing...that?" Emma asked quietly. She was raging on the inside, though. She'd not heard of this case. How could she have not?"

"Hmmm, about two years ago. Just after MM and I moved up here. Mallory pushed for a life sentence for Smee and she got it. Nobody thought she would, but she fought hard." David said. 

"Well, Regina, I think you need to give this Mallory a call and ask her for a meeting. I'd like to be there with you if that's okay? I want to help you in any way I can. Maybe Mallory knows the dodgy judges that Neal thinks are in his dad's pockets."

"Alright, I'll do that now. Thank you, Emma. You didn't have to divulge anything to me. I appreciate it." Regina said, her voice throaty. 

"Regina, I told you that you guys are my friends. I never betray my friends."

"Well, thank you all the same. David, you better get back to Henry before I get accused of hogging your time."

"Sure thing, Regina. Let me know if you need anything else." With that, David got up and left the office. 

"Do you want me to go too?" Emma asked softly.

"No, please stay. I'll just be a moment, Emma."

"Of course."

Emma went to sit down in her chair whilst Regina went to sit behind her desk to make her call to her lawyer. She heard Regina apologize for the late call before explaining her situation briefly and requesting a meeting as soon as possible. It wasn't long before she heard Regina bidding Mallory good night and hanging up.

"Mallory had an opening tomorrow morning and has agreed to meet us at my office at 9:30. Are you still happy to join me then, Emma?" Regina asked as she approached Emma and sat down in her seat.

"Yes, I'll be there at 8:30 to make sure I'm on time," Emma smiled. 

"That's fine." Regina sounded nervous. Like she was holding something back.

"Regina, I wondered if you would like me to provide a DNA sample to make sure I am Henry's birth mother. We seem to be just assuming that I am, and though I can see Neal in his features, I think it would be wise to be a hundred percent positive."

"Emma, of course we can, but I can see so much of Henry in your features. Even some of his mannerisms and the way he smirks. And, God, his chin! He has your chin, Emma." Regina was actually smiling at this revelation. 

"What do you want to tell Henry? Or your dad?"

"I think we should tell them. I've learnt with Henry that he hates dishonesty or even just leaving information out. We could do the maternal test if you want to, Emma, just for your peace of mind. But to me, you are his birth mom."

"Thank you for giving him the life I couldn't, Regina," Emma said, standing up. She walked up to Regina who had also gotten up from her seat and pulled her into a hug.

"I didn't do anything different to what you would have done, Emma. I just love him so much and I know you do too. The only difference is that I was lucky enough to have the wealth I do. Thank you for giving him to me."

"That's all I wanted for him, the love that you have is better than all the money in the world. But I am glad you are all financially comfortable and have a roof over your heads." Emma pulled back and smiled at Regina. "I guess I should make a move if I need to get up early. If you get me something I can use like Henry's toothbrush. It will have his saliva. I could get the test done as soon as possible. If that isn't enough, we will have to try get a mouth swab somehow.

"Sure, you go into the living room and I'll go collect his toothbrush. I feel like a spy," Regina chuckled.

"You'd be a kick-ass spy, Regina," Emma winked and they walked towards the door. Regina opened it and they each walked to their respective destinations. 

They hadn't seen Henry who had hidden in the corner once he heard footsteps coming towards the door. He had been walking past his mom's office to get something from his room when he heard his name. His inquisitive nature begged him to get closer to the door to try to listen to what they were discussing. He caught their discussion from where Regina was telling Emma that they should tell him something because he hated dishonesty… so Emma was maybe his birth mom? He had to restrain himself from bursting through the door. His mom always told him that eavesdropping was not a good habit. Patience wasn't his virtue, but now he just had to be patient for them to come to him like he heard they would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are all still enjoying the story. Next chapter will finally reveal Emma and August's horrible secret.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Emma meet the lawyer, Mallory Vincent, in the morning. In the afternoon, Emma tells Regina the harrowing events of that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING!! Mentions of rape/incest, graphic violence and emotional distress.

Emma sat waiting in Regina's waiting room, a nervous wreck. Regina has offered to have the session later in her home office, but Enma thought it would be better to have it here instead. She wasn't sure how her emotions would kick off - if they did - and she didn't want to be near Henry if she did have a complete meltdown. She had never told anyone what happened to them. Not even Lily, the woman she was going to marry. 

This was her second time here today. She had met Regina here this morning for the meeting with her lawyer. Emma thought back on their meeting whilst she waited for Regina to invite her into her office 

Mallory Vincent turned out to be quite a dragon in the way she dealt with everything she heard about first Neal and then Robin. She was quite frank with Regina and told her that she didn't like Robin, but she didn't know anything about Neal's claim about the money laundering. 

"Why did you take Robin on as a client, then, if you didn't like him?", Regina asked bluntly.

"Honestly, my boss was putting pressure on everyone to bring in new wealthy clients. And Robin being a world-famous violinist would be good for business."

"Well, thank you for your candidness, Ms Vincent."

"Please, call me Mal."

She then went on to tell Regina and Emma that she would be looking into Robin today. Regina gave her the name of Robin's family business and told her that Robin manages the accounts and finance which Mallory piqued Mallory's interest. He did most of it online, but had to sometimes go do things in person and was away for a few days at a time. The company was not that far away - just in the next state. Robin could easily drive over in the morning, have his meeting and be home for dinner. But he didn't do that, which was why she eventually suspected that he was having an affair. Regina didn't mention her suspicion about the affair, though. Not yet.

As for Neal, Mallory knew of his father. She highly doubted that Rupert Gold had anyone in his pocket. He was too much of a coward. If anything, he was in someone else's pocket. But she would look into that too. When Emma asked Mallory if she knew of any judges in New York state who could be brought, Mallory took a moment before telling them to leave it with her. She didn't want to name names, but she would look into it. Either way, Neal didn't have a legal leg to stand on when it came to Henry. He belonged to Regina and Robin. Not even Emma, being the birth mother, could claim Henry back. If Neal tried anything at all, he would be taken into custody since he is still on parole for his stint in prison. Regina and Emma were both relieved, but they were still worried that Neal would take Henry even by kidnapping him.

"Do you know what he did to land him in a federal prison?"

"Apart from stealing twenty thousand dollars worth of watches? I have no idea. When I was with him, he just did petty crimes like shoplifting convenient stores. But he was never armed. He always got me to distract anyone working in the store." Emma blushed when she admitted her role in the shoplifting she did with Neal. "It was mostly for food though. He did steal a necklace with a swan charm on it, once, but I've since thrown out."

"And you said he went by his mother's maiden name of Cassidy?" Mallory asked as she continued taking notes. 

"Yeah, he and his dad weren't close. He left home when he was sixteen, he had once told me. I didn't even know Rupert Gold had other children. I went to school with Rupert's daughter, Mindy. She was a couple of years ahead. As far as I knew, she was an only child. And a spoilt brat," Emma growled, which made Regina turn her head to look at her, surprised at Emma's tone. She'd ask Emma about Mindy later.

By the end of the meeting, Regina and Emma were confident that they had the right person for the job. Mallory left, after promising to be in touch with them as soon as she had something to tell them, good or not.

After the meeting, Emma left Regina to her work and she took a subway to New Jersey to meet up with David. He showed her around the station and introduced her to a couple of his police officers, Hua Mulan and Fredrick Midas, and gave her some forms to fill in when she said that she would love the position if he thought she could do it. He knew with her skills as a bail bonds person, as well as her black belts and being physically fit, she'd have no problem with the police training. She left feeling confident about the future career prospect and was looking to. She didn't need to go to the police training before she started working as a deputy, but if she did then she would be doing a 22-week sheriff deputy course which she could do around her working hours. She just needed to give David her answer by the end of the week as he needed to resubmit the advert for the position as soon as possible if she decided not to take the position.

The door to Regina's office opened which pulled Emma out of her thoughts. She stood up instantly when she saw Regina.

"Emma, hello, " Regina smiled warmly as she gestured for Emma to enter. 

"Hi, thanks."

Once inside, Emma went straight to her seat and sank into it. 

"Coffee?" Regina asked once the door was closed.

"Oh, yeah, thanks," Emma said, nervously fidgeting in her seat.

Regina prepared their coffees and then brought them over on a tray which she placed on the coffee table. Emma didn't take hers immediately, instead she sank back into her chair; crossing her arms defensively.

"I… I have something to tell you," Emma said quietly, looking down into her lap.

"I know." Regina sat down on the sofa which was closer to Emma than her usual seat.

"I don't know how." 

"Just take your time, Emma," Regina said, trying to sound encouraging.

Emma stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the street. She just stared, seemingly looking at nothing, as if in a daydream. More like a nightmare, as she thought back to that night.

Regina didn't want to rush her, so she sat and waited patiently until Emma was ready to speak.

"It happened over fifteen years ago, but I can still see it all in my mind like it just happened… It was raining that night. Lila was teaching us to dance… 

"Emma, dance with us!" 

It was one of the few times I remember having fun.   
"Lila, come on, I can't dance," I whined as she grabbed my hands and forced me out of my seat.

"What do you mean? Of course, you can. Here. Hold Tommy's hand."

"He does it better than me," I whined again as Tommy twirled me around again and again. He was five years younger than me, but boy could he dance.

"There you go, Emma! Here comes another turn," Tommy said gleefully. "Here we go. Turn. That's it! You're doing it, Emma!"

Lila was dancing around us, moving her hips and shaking her ass, laughing as she turned up the volume of the music. 

We took turns dancing with each other. It was just the three of us. Jared was away on his boat, Brad was sleeping over at one of his friends' homes and August was out tending to Caesar at the garage, about half a mile up the road from the house."

"Caesar?", Regina cut in.

"The Bengal tiger. Anyway, we were happily dancing away while it poured outside, the thunder was almost as loud as the music and lightning was flashing through the windows. Mother Nature's own display of fireworks."

There were another few minutes of silence. Regina had noticed Emma looked a bit pale and had swallowed several lumps. She waited patiently fir her to continue, knowing she was finding this memory difficult to put into words.

Eventually, "There was a knock on the door. We barely heard it through the thunder and the music. 

"I wonder who that is?" Lila asked as she went to answer the door, I remember thinking it was probably someone who had been caught out in the storm… They broke into our house. Brad and two of his friends from the wrestling team. They were big guys. Big and strong. They stormed in, and Lilla jumped in front of me to protect me, but one of Brad's friends dragged Lila to a bedroom. She tried to fight him, but she was no match for a wrestler. I was grabbed by Brad and his other friend as I heard Lila cry, "Help us, Tommy." 

We didn't know that Tommy had somehow mercifully escaped through a window, undetected by any of us…"

Silence for a few more moments as Emma's thoughts churned.

"Brad had grabbed my arms and Brad's other friend grabbed my legs... they carried me to my room. While Brad's second friend raped Lila, my clothes and panties were cut off with a swiss army knife by Brad. I… I…"

More minutes of silence. 

"Emma, you don't need to tell-"

"No, I do… just give me a moment?"

"Of course."

A Few more minutes of silence passed.

Brad and his friend… they took me to the bed and lay me down on my back. His...penis was big. First Brad as his friend held me down. I fought them… I kicked and screamed. Brad held this knife to my throat. He said if I tried to fight anymore, he'd slit me open. There was no foreplay. He just entered me. Then his friend had his turn. And then they both… " Emma closed her eyes as her throat tightened. "I didn't know anything about sex. I… Brad took me from the front as his friend… he put his… in my backside. Brad had kept his knife to my throat. 

"You move, I'll slit your throat." Raw meat. Brad had the nerve to call me raw meat. "Nothing I like better than fresh raw meat." What was happening to me... was unimaginable... literally. I didn't know it could happen to a child. Then, when they were finished with me, they went to Lila's room and swapped with their friend. I was lying on the bed completely naked when I felt Brad's other friend on top of me. Then he just… he entered me forcefully and raped me… I could feel liquid coming down my thighs. I thought he had come, but it turned out to be blood. I had never felt so much pain. All I could hear was Lila screaming.

"No, Brad! I'm your mother!" Lila screamed horrifically.

"Oh my God, Emma, so Brad… did he rape his mother?" Regina asked, horrified by the idea.

All Emma could do was nod numbly.

"I just wanted to die. Especially when I saw August stand at my bedroom door. Tommy had run to the garage to warn him. The look on his face. He stormed into my room and pulled the guy off me and hit him over and over again. Even though August was no match for a wrestler, adrenalin made him best the living shit out of the guy until he lay unconscious on the bedroom floor. I was frozen to the bed, I couldn't move… we heard Lila screaming for Brad to stop. August ran out of the room and the next thing I heard was a gunshot. I got such a fright, I peed myself."

More minutes passed In silence.

"I… ran out of the room to make sure August was okay. I didn't even think… I was naked, but I didn't care. August had gotten one of Jared's rifles and shot Brad's friend in the head. His brains splattered all over the place. I went to grab another rifle when I saw Brad going for August. The bullets had somehow fallen out of his rifle when August reloaded, so Brad went for August, but his trousers and pants were still at his knees which hindered his movement as he was trying to pull them up. He almost got to August, who was on his knees picking up the bullets and shoving them in the rifle. I couldn't reach the rifles in the cabinet, but Lila somehow got hold of a small fire poker and stabbed it straight into Brad's back, completely impaling him. He fell dead to the ground."

Emma finally turned from the window, which she'd been staring out of from the beginning of her story, to look at Regina. "I'll never forget the look of shock on Brad's face before he died. I bet he never thought his mother would ever kill him. But she sure did. She fell screaming afterwards, though, but not over killing her son." 

Emma finally went back to her seat, but she still didn't make eye contact with Regina. She couldn't.

"I felt completely useless. August, two. Lila, one. While I did nothing. Even Tommy helped by escaping and fetching August. He had run all the garage and stayed there while August came back to rescue us."

"There was nothing you could do, Emma. You were just a young girl. You had no weapon. I'm surprised you and Lila survived it at all." Regina had to keep her own emotions at bay, trying her best to stay professional. But this was Emma, her friend. And she couldn't imagine this happening to any child as she tried not to think of her son.

"I, sorry, I thought you should know this."

"God, yes." Regina sounded shocked. "What's Callanwolde?"

"That's Lila, Jared and Brad's last name."

"What happened after? I mean... How did you all deal with it? What did Jared do when he got home?"

"Who said we told?" 

"You… You didn't tell?" Regina asked and Emma just shook her head no. "No one? You must have told the police or… Jesus Christ, Emma," Regina said astonished.

"Lila said, "It's over. Get these carcasses outside. Clean up this mess."

Because there were three carcasses. The other guy that August pulled off me? August went back to finish the job. Shot him in the head. 

Lila was insane that night. "This did not happen. This did not happen." She kept saying it. Said the minute we talked about it… was the minute she stopped being our mother. Said morning would come and everything would look nicer in the sunlight. And after we buried the bodies… I went in to check on Tommy... ...to see how he was doing. He was only eight years old, but when August went to fetch him and brought him back, he had seen us cleaning… he saw all the blood. He was trying to do what Lila had said. Trying to act as if nothing had happened. It was easier for him, though, because he didn't go through what we did, thank God. But it still affected him. I was barely holding on by a thread. Lila put my hair up in rollers. Only my dress was on inside out. And when my Jared came home for dinner… we sat around and ate as if nothing was wrong. We told him Brad had gone to his friend's for a sleepover which, to be honest, he never even cared to know where Brad was. God help me. I think the silence was worse than the rapes. Three days later, Lila sent August and me away. She told Social workers that we weren't happy there and she was sick and tired of trying to make us feel welcome." 

Emma snorted at that, then rolled her eyes. 

"She told me, yesterday, that she had wanted to keep us. But after what had happened, she didn't think that we would want to stay there anymore. Didn't even think to ask us. Maybe it was for the best, but at the time I really wanted to stay there. I had learnt to love her and just a few weeks prior, I had started to sometimes call her mom." Emma's lips wobbled as she kept herself from crying.

Regina didn't say anything for a while, unsure if Emma had finished.

"Say something, Mills."

"How do you feel?"

"I feel...okay. I mean, I thought I'd be on the floor after telling you this... but I feel surprisingly alright."

"Are you sure?"

"I mean… I'm relieved. The laundry's clean, the ghost's out of the closet," Emma sighed dramatically.

"You've really learned how to cover your pain," Regina said softly. "You've done that all your life. That 13-year-old girl is still in a lot of pain."

Emma got up from her seat abruptly and started to pace the office frantically, unable to keep still.

"Don't do this to me, Regina. Don't do this to me," Emma practically begged.

"I can feel your pain, Emma. I feel it. Let yourself feel it."

Emma sat down on the sofa next to Regina, but kept her distance on the opposite side, not trusting herself to handle being touched. 

"It takes courage to feel the pain, Emma. You can do it. You can handle it. Don't be afraid. It's okay. You've kept it locked up for so long. Just let it go. Let it go. You have so much to cry about, don't you?" Regina reached out to take one of Emma's hands into her own. She could see Emma was struggling to keep her emotions under control, avoiding Regina's penetrative gaze. "It's okay. It's okay. Feel the pain. Cry. Feel the pain. It's the only way to heal yourself. Just let it go. Let it go, Emma." 

And that was it. Emma lost her control, turning her body as she fell into Regina's embrace. She sobbed like she had never sobbed before whilst Regina held her in her arms, resting her chin on Emma's head as she rubbed her back and whispered about how brave she was, her own tears finally falling silently. Eventually, Emma stopped crying but Regina kept holding her and they stayed in their embrace for a good twenty minutes before Emma finally pulled away from her, slightly embarrassed for her sobbing. She noticed that Regina's cheeks were wet too.

"I'm sorry, I'm a mess," Emma said.

"No more than I," Regina chuckled as she gestured to her own state, trying to lighten the mood. "Come to dinner tonight. Henry will be thrilled to see you again."

"I can't, I'm sorry. I told Graham I wanted to speak to him. But I'll see Henry tomorrow afternoon for our karate lesson. Maybe I can come to yours after?"

"Of course. You're always welcome, Emma." 

Emma was Regina's last appointment for the day so she waited for Regina to finish up writing down some notes. Regina quickly entered the information into her laptop and added her most to August's file, before closing her office and they walked out together. Emma had driven over, so she was able to give Regina a lift home. As they got into her bug and drove off, they hadn't noticed that Sidney had been parked a little further up the street, watching them as he ground his teeth in anger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you weren't too traumatised. I tried twisting the story a bit from the film.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin comes home unexpectedly and Regina calls Emma with news about August .

"Come on, Emma. Let's do it again. Are you out of shape?"

"Oy! Come here, kid, I don't mean anything personal by this... ...but I'm gonna leave karate kick marks all over your butt!" Emma chuckled.

"It felt great putting you on your ass," Henry smirked.

"Hey, no cursing, kid. Your mom will kill me if she hears you say that! All right, you ready? Go!" 

Emma went for the attack - she didn't need to go easy on him these days - and he managed a sneaky low spinning sweep kick which sent Emma landing on her back. Again.

"I can't believe I'm being outplayed by a violinist," Emma said as she puffed. "Come on. Give an old girl a hand." Henry went to offer his hand to help Emma up, but she pulled him down. "Now I'm gonna get you!" Emma laughed and started to tickle him. Henry called for mercy before they wrestled playfully on the grass. 

"Ahem!" 

Henry and Emma both looked up when they heard someone clearing their throat to get their attention.

"Dad," Henry said, shocked to see his father standing there watching them fool around on the grass. "I thought you were only coming home this weekend."

"Well, I'm home now. So this is how your mother lets you spend your time? Mrs Luca said you've skipped two lessons this week."

"I don't like her. She's too strict," Henry complained.

"The great teachers usually are," Robin snapped.

Emma instantly hated Robin. Even if she hadn't known anything about him, she'd think he's an ass for snapping at Henry like that. She decided to intervene.

"I'm Emma Swan, Mr. Locksley. Henry's karate instructor." She put her hand forward to shake his. He politely took it, squeezing extra hard as if to show her that he was the strong one here. 

"It's a pleasure, Miss Swan. Heard a lot about you," Robin smiled fakely. 

"Let's call it quits," Emma said to Henry, warmly. "Go home and practice your fiddle, kid. Maybe we can work something out tomorrow."

"Okay," Henry mumbled and went to collect his things from the bench.

"I had no idea he was so strong." Robin had seemed genuinely surprised at Henry's strength. 

"He's a good student. Listens and follows instructions really well. I'm sure when he eventually joins a dojo, he'll achieve his black belt in no time."

"I don't want him playing the violin with broken fingers."

"Henry said you'd be worried. He's careful," Emma smiled. 

"He should be worried. I'm sorry to cut your session short… but I've booked Henry with Mrs Lucas, everyday after school and weekend afternoons. He has a concert in a couple of weeks. With a little discipline, he might actually become a good musician." Robin said in a cold manner. 

"You're the maestro." Shit, Hen's going to hate that, so will Regina, Emma thought. 

"I'm so glad you understand. Regina and I are having a dinner party next Friday. Why don't you join us?"

"Thanks, I'll look forward to it." Especially if it means I get more time with Regina, Emma thought, smirking.

Once Henry had left with his dad, Emma decided to give Regina a call. She was meant to take Henry home and stay for dinner with the Mills's. When she got her phone out of her bag, she noticed that she had a missed call and a voice message from Regina. It was warning her that Robin was home and pissed off about Henry doing karate, and that he was on his way to the park. Emma quickly called her back but couldn't reach her, so decided to go call her office landline.

"Good afternoon, Dr Mills's Office, Mary-Margaret speaking. How can I help you?"

"MM, it's me, Emma. Is Regina still there?" Emma asked hurriedly.

"Emma, thank God! Regina has been trying to get hold of you. Robin showed up here and gave her a total tongue lashing. She's in with a patient now, but she wanted to warn you that-"

"Yeah, I just had the unpleasure of meeting the ass. He took Henry home, but he wasn't happy. Well, neither of them were. I was meant to take Henry home, and stay for dinner. Obviously not going to happen now, but I wanted to come see Regina at the office. Do you think that would be okay with her?"

"Yes! Please come. I told her to just reschedule her last appointment because he really lay into her. She looked quite distraught, but she said she needed to be here for her patient who really needed the session. She just freshened herself up in her private wc and is with her patient now and then she's leaving."

"How long does she have left with her patient?"

"About thirty-five minutes."

"Okay…" Emma looked at the time, "I'm at Sheep's Meadow now, but leaving in the next few minutes. Please tell her I'm coming if she finishes before I get there. I should be there in twenty minutes, though."

"Okay, Emma. See you soon." With that, MM hung up.

Emma got her things together, and quickly sprayed her armpits with her deodorant. She and Henry only had half their usual time, but she was still sweaty. She then put her bag on her back and made her way towards Regina's office.  
____________________________

Regina walked her last patient out to the waiting room and was surprised to see Emma waiting for her. MM had already gone home.

"Goodbye Dr Mills. Thanks for seeing me at the last minute." 

"You're welcome, Jeffrey. Take care and I'll see you at our next session," Regina smiled warmly at the man who smiled back as he waved goodbye and left.

"Hi," Regina said, turning to Emma, looking worried. "I take it Henry's gone home with Robin?"

Regina gestured towards the chairs in the waiting room. She didn't want to go back into her office.

"Yeah," Emma said as she sat back down in a seat next to Regina, "I only got your message afterwards. I tried calling back, but got your answer phone. I called your office landline straight after. MM told me that Robin shouted at you about Henry doing karate… I hope I didn't cause you any trouble, Regina."

"No, of course not. If it wasn't you, I would have found Henry another instructor. Don't worry about Robin. I'm used to him now. His bark is worse than his bite."

Emma didn't like the sound of Regina's husband treating her like that. I hope that didn't mean he was emotionally abusive. Didn't he realise how lucky he was to be married to her? Emma didn't want to overstep by saying anything against him. Yet.

"Well, I'm not sure how long he might have been watching us, but he did catch us wrestling on the grass after a great move by Henry, who had me on my ass a couple of times this afternoon!" Emma laughed at that.

"That's great...I think…"

"Yeah, it's great! Robin even said he didn't realise how strong Henry is. I'm sorry that Robin's stopping our sessions, though. And making Henry go practice with that Lucas teacher of his everyday after school. Henry's not going to be happy-"

"What do you mean? Robin didn't tell me that he was making Henry see Mrs Lucas everyday."

"Yeah, including weekends. Said Henry has a concert in a couple of weeks? And that with a little discipline, he might actually become a good musician."

"What!? Henry is almost better than Robin! He just needs a better teacher. That Lucas woman is a sour puss." Regina sighed as ran a hand tiredly over her face. "He used to have a really good teacher before, and Henry adored him. But he moved to a different state, so Robin found Mrs Lucas." 

"Well, I'm looking forward to hearing Henry play. How much do the tickets cost, by the way?" Emma asked. She really was looking forward to the concert.

"Oh don't worry about that, Emma. I've already got you one. I meant to tell you yesterday, but forgot."

"Okay, thanks. Oh, and Robin told me to come to the dinner party you guys are throwing next Friday. I said I'd be there. Is that okay with you? 

"He did? Oh, Emma, you don't have to come. It is going to be terribly boring. Full of Robin's friends and colleagues. I don't even want to be there, but I have little choice," Regina grimaced, rolling her eyes. 

"Well, then I'm definitely coming! Good reason to distract you and Henry."

"Oh, Henry won't be there. He hates these dinner parties so he goes to stay with my dad."

"Boys night for the Henrys then? Cool. Well I'll still be there. I gotta have your back, right?" Emma smirked at Regina.

"Right!" Regina smiled her dazzling smile back.  
_______________________________

Regina lay in bed that evening after a night of awkward conversation with her husband. 

When she had gotten home, Robin was in the kitchen looking through the fridge. He had then asked her to make lasagna for dinner. When she told him that she had already made it a couple of nights ago, and that there was still some leftovers in the fridge, he'd complained that he'd not had her fresh lasagna for ages and had expected her to make it for him this evening.

"Robin, I'm not going to make more when there's enough leftover in the fridge for all of us. I wasn't expecting you home, today, anyway. I don't have all the ingredients to make a fresh lasagna."

"Are you saying I need to announce when i'm coming back to my own home, Regina?"

"No, I'm just saying that I'm not going to make you a fresh lasagna when there's perfectly good leftovers in the fridge."

"The leftovers are even better, dad. I much prefer mom's lasagna the next day. It tastes even nicer. Not that I don't like it fresh, mom."

"I know what you mean, sweetheart," Regina smiled at Henry, knowing he was trying to diffuse the situation with his dad.

"Mind your business, Henry. I'm speaking to your mother. Don't you have the violin to practice?"

"I've been practising since I got home from the park, dad," Henry complained. 

"Not enough! Now go-"

"Henry, sweetheart, do you have any homework you need to finish?" Henry just nodded. "Go do that, I'll call you once your dinner is heated up."

Henry left without another word, wishing Emma was here like she was meant to be. Robin always ruined everything. In his mind, Henry always referred to his adoptive father as Robin. Never dad. He went back to the living room, sat on the floor and finished writing his English assignment at the coffee table. The tv was on, but muted.

Robin ignored Regina most of their time in the kitchen as she went about getting dinner heated up. He did, however, mention meeting Miss Swan and that he'd heard Henry telling her it felt good putting her on her ass. Regina smirked at that, though she'd have to warn Emma to stop cussing in front of Henry.

"What kind of people are you letting my son spend time with, Regina?"

"Excuse me, Robin? Henry is my son too. And Emma is a good and decent person." 

"Well, he won't be spending my h moire time with her. He'll be going to Mrs Lucas everyday for the foreseeable future."

"Yes, I heard. We should probably have discussed that together, Robin. And with Henry.he isn't going to be happy-"

"I don't need him to be happy, Regina, I need him to do as he's told. He is the child. We are his parents."

Regina didn't feel like arguing so just ignored him. Robin hadn't said anything else as she carried on in the kitchen. She heated up the lasagna for everyone, then called Henry to the dining room. Dinner was a quiet affair since Robin was in a sour mood for not getting his way.

After dinner, he went to the living room where he got control of the remote control for the tv, so Regina and Henry had gone back to the kitchen for dessert. Both secretly wishing that Emma was there with them. 

Regina wondered if Emma had done the DNA test yet, but knew it had only been a couple of days and they had both been busy with other things. 

Henry had also been thinking about what he had eavesdropped on, but was biding his time before he took things in his own hands. He hoped the test came back positive for Emma being his mom. Then he'd have two moms and possibly a better dad than Robin. If only he knew that Robin might be the better of two evils.

Now Regina lay in bed facing away from Robin. The bed was a king sized one, but she felt claustrophobic with Robin back beside her, snoring away. She'd had weeks with the bed to herself and she almost wished he'd just stay away. In fact, she had thought about asking Mallory if she'd help Regina if she ever filed for a divorce from Robin, but she lost her nerve when their meeting had ended. Regina finally fell asleep thinking about Emma's eyes and how green they were.  
________________________________________

It was Monday before Emma spoke to Regina again. She was at a DNA testing centre in Manhattan when Regina called her in the morning. 

"Regina, hi! Is everything alright?"

"August spoke!" Regina blurted out.

"Holly shit! Sorry, what did he say?" Emma was shocked. 

She had just been to see him yesterday and he was still as silent as ever. She'd been to see him every morning since Thursday. It was only yesterday before she finally admitted to him that she had spoken to Regina about that night. Did that trigger something in him?

"He asked to see you, Emma! Can you come now?"

"I'm at the DNA testing centre on Madison Avenue. They need both mine and Henry's mouth swabs by the way. Anyway, I can be there in 20 minutes. Are you there now? What else did he say?"

"Yeah I am. As soon as I entered his room, he just looked at me and smiled briefly before asking for you."

"I'll be there as soon as I can! I need to try get a cab, though, but I'll be there!" 

Emma thanked the person she had been speaking to and practically sprinted out the centre. As fate would have it, a cab was just dropping someone off close by and she nabbed it. 

Once at the hospital, she rushed to August's room. Regina was waiting outside his room for her. 

"Emma, how are you?"

"I'm good. And you? How is he?" Emma couldn't keep her excitement in?

"Considering what he's been through, he's doing very well," Regina smiled.

"Can I see him?"

"He's been asking for only you, so of course. I'll wait here for you."

Emma entered August's room slowly, unsure of what she was expecting to see. He was sitting in his for the first time since she'd come to New York. He had looked up from a newspaper when he heard the door open, smiling when he saw it was Emma.

"Hey! How are you doing, Auggie?" Emma smiled, but could feel her emotions flaring as her eyes stung with moisture.

"Well, I'm still here. So... So... I don't know what to say, Em."

"Then just let me hug you." Emma sat on his bed and stretched across to put her arms carefully around his neck as he hugged her back.

"Em, I'm so sorry I put you through all this."

"No, no, don't apologise. But just don't do it again. I couldn't bear to think of a world without you in it, Auggie."

"I'll do my best, Em," August said as he pulled out of the hug and smirked at Emma.

They spoke for a bit longer, nothing of importance - just catching up, before a nurse came in with some of August's medication and asked if he needed to use the bathroom or have a shower.

"I'll go so you can shower in peace. after all these weeks, u definitely need one!" Emma playfully held her nose as if she smelt something bad.

"Okay, hopefully Dr Mills will tell me that I can come home soon."

"No need to rush, Auggie. I'll be here."

"You just want more time with my coffee no machine, Em! Will I see you again soon?"

"Yeah, see you again later during visiting hours?"

"Okay, cheers Em." August waved her goodbye as a nurse helped him to get up.

Emma left his room with a content smile. She saw Regina speaking to one of the nurses as she approached her. It reminded her of the first time she had come to see August at the hospital and then came out to shout at Regina about August being strapped onto his bed only to have Regina ream her out right back. She smiled at how far they've come in just a couple of months, if that.

"What are you smiling at?" Regina asked Emma who looked like she was deep in thought.

"I'm just happy."

"So am I. It's great to hear August talk." Regina smiled brightly. "So… I was thinking we should just speak to Henry. Be completely upfront with him."

"Fine with me, but when? What about Robin?"

"Oh God no, we won't tell him unless we have to. I'd like to see what Mallory comes back to us with first. I've not heard from her except a quick text saying that she's contacted Neal's parole officer to warn him about Neal."

"Yeah, he's going to be on probation for a while. I'm not sure if he can even leave the state and probably needs to check in with his parole officer. But this is Neal we are talking about. I feel really embarrassed for having anything to do with him. But what I meant was, how are we going to tell Henry if Robin's back home?"

"Oh, right. Well Robin is out tonight, but I don't want him to come home while we are telling Henry so I'll call my dad and ask him if we can come over to his house. He lives in New Jersey. Would that be okay with you if my dad also knows?"

"Of course. I guess I'm just worried about what they will think when they find out I was in juvie, but we need to tell them and warn them about Neal. I don't want him showing up unexpectedly and they don't know. "

"Henry and my dad both adore you, Emma. They won't think of you any differently to what they think now. As for Neal, you were just seventeen when you met him. Probably starved for attention, right? And Neal probably played right into that. Please don't worry about what we or anyone thinks of you."

"Okay, thanks. So do you want me to meet you at your office later? I told August I'd be back during visiting hours this afternoon. I could come to you after? We could get a cab over to your dads? Will Henry already be there?"

"Yes to all your questions, Emma," Regina laughed at Emma's rambling. "Just come to my office after you've seen August and then we can go to my dads from there."

"Okay, I'll see you at about five, then. Are you going back to your office now?"

"No, I've got a group therapy session after lunch, so I'll quickly grab something in the cafeteria."

"Oh, I didn't know you did that too."

"Yeah, this afternoon's one is for victims of domestic abuse."

"Can I join you for lunch? I was coming back here to see August, anyway," Emma sounded eager to spend as much time with Regina as she could which Regina was secretly pleased about. 

"Sure, as long as you don't mind cafeteria food."

"Nah, that's okay. It's the company that matters," Emma winked. 

"Come on, then, Swan." And off they went.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma visits with August and sees a familiar face in the local news headline on tv in his room.

Emma had treated Regina to lunch at the cafeteria and Regina had jokingly called her a cheap date.

"Hey, if you think I can afford a fancy French restaurant on a deputy under-sheriffs salary then you picked the wrong girl, Doc."

"Wait, you got the job?"

"Yep, I called David yesterday to accept," Emma smiled brightly.

"That's fabulous news, Emma! Congratulations." 

Regina was smiling back at Emma, so glad she wasn't losing her friend. She honestly wasn't sure if Emma was serious about staying in New York. She was the first real friend she'd made in a long time. All her friends were more Robin's, but Emma was all hers. 

"Thanks. I'm looking forward to it. I won't start for a few weeks as David has to go by the books and check my references and I have to have a disclosure and physical done etc. One they know I'm fit for duty and clinically sane, then I'll have to start to actually work. I'm looking forward to it. I might even see about starting up a self-defence class for kids."

"Well that all sounds wonderful, Emma."

After lunch, Emma and Regina walked out of the cafeteria together before going their own way.

"So, I'll see u later at your office later, yeah?"

"Yes, see you then, Emma," Regina replied, waving goodbye as she shouldered her handbag.  
___________________________

Emma spent the afternoon with August. They caught up on the last four years, but Emma never asked August why. Why did he try to take his own life? It was more important to her that he didn't succeed in that regard. Maybe one day, August would be brave enough to tell her, but until then, she'd talk about anything else.

By four o clock, August was looking tired. They'd had the tv on in the background, muted, so August could keep an eye on the local news. As Emma got up to leave August to have his nap, her eye caught the headline. Normally a missing person's headline didn't get her attention, except this woman looked familiar to her. 

"Hey, Auggie, could you turn the volume up?"

She stepped close to the tv as he did so. Where had she seen this woman? Then it came up on the screen that the woman - of Hispanic and Negro descent - was from New Jersey but worked in Queens, and was last seen on the second of April. Second of April? Where was she on the second of April? She thought back to the places she had been in the last two weeks and then it clicked. Oh shit. She was the woman at the French restaurant! Sidney Glass's date. She had looked at the woman out of curiosity, wondering who the hell would accept a dinner invitation from this creep? She noticed that she was quite an attractive woman. She also had wanted to warn her about the creep she was having dinner with, but she was wanting more to get Regina out of the restaurant as quickly as possible.

"Damn! I know her!"

"You know her?" August asked. "How?"

Emma then went on to tell August everything concerning Sidney Glass and his creepy behaviour.

"Regina took you on a date?"

"No! That's what you took from the whole story I just told you? Come on, Auggie. I'm serious, this guy could be responsible for her disappearance. It was the second of April that Regina and I saw him and this woman. Together. Coincidence much? And the headline says that she works in Queens. Probably at the Chinese Massage Parlour slash brothel. Damn, I better go, I want to ask Regina if she managed to get a look at the woman too."

"So… you and Regina have gotten close, huh?" August was smirking at Emma with that knowing look of his.

"We're just friends, August. She's married and has a son." 

"Who might be your son…"

"Might. Either way, she's married."

"People get divorced all the time," August said, still smirking.

"Yeah, well, she's out of my league. Are you blind now? Have you not seen her?"

"Are you saying that you're too good for her?"

"No! She's too good for me!"

"Well then you must be blind too, Emma, you are a beautiful woman. You both are, equally. Just don't do anything stupid and run away from love. Lily was a fool. But Regina is a smart woman."

"She's straight." Though she did confess to kissing a girl, Emma thought. 

"She might play for both teams, Em." August was wiggling his eyebrows now.

"You're an ass. Anyway, we are straying from what's important right now. That woman is missing, who knows what this creep is capable of. I need to go, Auggie. I'll see you tomorrow." Emma bent down to kiss August's cheek and then left, quickly making her way to Regina's office.  
_______________________________

Regina was in her office writing notes about her last patient when Emma knocked on her door.

"Come in," she said as she typed away on her laptop, black-rimmed glasses almost at the tip of her nose. When she looked up, she was surprised to see Emma, then looked at the time. Ten to five.

"Hiya, sorry I'm a bit early. But MM said you were finished with patients for the day. I can wait out in the wa-"

"No, it's okay, I'm almost done. Is everything alright? You look pale. Is August okay?"

"August is fine," Emma came in, closing the door behind her then went to sit at a chair at Regina's desk before she continued, "but I saw something on the local news while I was visiting with him. He had his tv on, muted. As I got up to leave, a picture of a woman came up as a missing person headline and I think I recognised her."

"You did? From where?"

"Regina, did you by any chance get a look at the woman that was seated with Sidney Glass at that French restaurant we went to? We were there on the second of April, right?"

Regina paled. She hadn't wanted to think of that night again, well, not of Sidney being there. Everything else was wonderful. 

"Vaguely, I was trying not to look as we walked past. But I remember turning back slightly after we got to the coat collection near the entrance. Do... Do you think it's really h-her?" Regina asked nervously. 

Emma quickly looked up local missing persons in New Jersey, on her iPhone, and found a picture of the woman. It said that her name is Nimue White but sometimes went by her middle name, Maria. Emma gave her phone to Regina to have a look at. When she saw Regina's expression, she knew it was the woman they had seen with Sidney.

"Emma, we need to call that number. That woman was the one I recognised."

"Yeah, I agree," Emma said with a frown. She took her phone back from Regina and made the call.  
__________________________

Regina called Daniel Colter's number directly, not wanting to take a chance with another Uber. She didn't think she'd ever feel safe with any other driver which was inconvenient as she had depended on them for getting around. And using an Uber driver was cheaper than hiring a personal driver. 

Once Daniel had dropped them off in Jersey City - she hadn't mentioned anything about Sidney to him - Emma whistled when she saw the house they had arrived at: a gorgeous townhouse that looked quite enormous for one person. It had a detached garage too. She felt almost sad for Henry as she worried about him being lonely here by himself. 

"Are you alright, Emma?" Regina asked as she saw Emma looking first in awe but then in concern.

"Yeah, I'm just admiring your dad's home. It's beautiful, but it just looks so big. Is he okay here by himself?"

Regina's heart melted at Emma's genuine concern for her father. Robin never made time for him. And mostly ignored Henry when he came to visit. Why the hell did I marry him? Regina thought. 

"It is too big for him, but this was my home growing up and my mother loved this house so he will never sell it," Regina said as they climbed up the steps and went inside. Plus, Henry and I might be living here soon, she thought as she called out for the boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are like food to the soul. Thanks for all the kudos and comments. Please keep them coming.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Emma have dinner at Henry Sr's home and fill the two Henrys in on Emma possibly being Henry's birth mother .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are all still enjoying this story. I'm sorry for the slow burn, but I promise something will be happening between our ladies soon!

Regina and Emma found the boys in the kitchen. Henry was helping his Abuelo with their dinner, a very delicious aroma of garlic and other herbs filled the room as Henry Jr was adding stock slowly to a big pot as Henry Sr kept stirring vigorously. 

"Mmmmmm! Smells delicious here!" Regina exclaimed as she stepped closer to the stove and looked into the big pot. "Mushroom risotto?" Regina asked as she kissed both Henrys on their cheeks.

"Hi, Mom! Hi Emma! I helped Abuelo make dinner!"

"Smells delicious, guys!" Emma said, excited for dinner already!

"Thank you, Emma. And welcome to my humble abode. I hope you are hungry!" Henry said to Emma before turning to his daughter. "Hello, cariña. How was your day?"

"Very good! Just busy and I still have a bit of paperwork to do, but I have a free morning tomorrow so I can just do it then. Thanks for having us at the last minute, Papi."

"No problem, but I must admit you have me curious about what you want to tell us. And away from Robin's ears?"

"All will be revealed after dinner. But for now, Emma has some good news to share!" 

Everyone looked at Emma expectantly, who looked back at them wide-eyed.

"Umm, which good news are we talking about?"

"You have more than one, please share, Emma!" Henry Sr exclaimed.

"Well I meant your job but of course you can tell them both. I just wasn't sure how much you wanted to reveal," Regina smiled encouragingly. 

"Okay, well my brother started to speak this morning!" Emma smiled brightly. 

"Wonderful news, Emma!" Henry gave his whisk to his daughter to keep stirring as he surprised Emma with a big bear hug and kisses on both of her cheeks. Henry Jr also crushed Emma with a hug, so happy for her and her brother. 

"That's so cool, Emma! Can I meet him soon!?"

Regina watched a speechless Emma in a group hug and wished she could join in.

"Of course you can, Kid!"

Finally released from their embrace, Emma looked at Regina. "If that's ok with you, of course, Regina."

"Of course it is. I'll be keeping him in hospital for observation until the end of next week, though, but once he's out, we can organize something."

"Why don't you bring him over here for dinner one night, Emma?" Henry Sr asked. "I'd love to embarrass you by asking him questions about your time in the foster home together. I bet he'll have some great stories to share!"

"Papi!" Regina said, highly embarrassed. 

Emma just laughed. "Deal, Henry. I'm sure August will have you in stitches with the stories he could easily share about both of us."

"So what's your other good news, Emma?" Henry Jr asked excitedly.

"Well, you are looking at the future deputy under-sheriff of New Jersey!" 

This news prompted another group hug, Henry Jr. whooping loudly!

"So you are staying?!" Henry Jr asked. 

"Looks like it, kid. I'll need to find a new place to live, though. August will be coming home soon and he only has one bedroom. I'll have to start looking at listings for somewhere in New Jersey. I was thinking of selling my car. Maybe getting a bike for commuting to work."

"Oh, Emma, I thought you loved your bug," Regina stated as her father took over the stirring and deemed the risotto ready before adding a big handful of parmesan cheese to it and covering the pot with a lid.

"Well, recent memories helped me realise that I'm not as attached as I once was." Emma gave Regina a looked which Regina understood.

"Well, dinner is ready," Henry Sr said as he took out four bowls - which were heated in the oven - and some cutlery, placing them on the kitchen table. Regina took a bowl of the extra grated cheese so they could sprinkle over their dinner. Regina had a glass of wine while Henry Sr and Emma had a beer each, Hen had milk.

When dinner was finished, they retired to a cosy living room. It looked well lived in like this is where Henry would spend all his time when at home.

They made themselves comfortable before getting down to the serious part of the evening's conversation.

"So, tell me what it is that you couldn't risk Robin overhearing it, cariñas," Henry asked as he sat back in his comfortable looking lazy boy. Henry Jr was sitting on a bean bag; Regina and Emma sat together on a sofa. They each had a hot drink in their hand, though Emma wondered if perhaps they should put their drinks down. Just in case they burn themselves if Henry shrieks when he's told that Emma is very likely his birth mom. 

"Well, you guys know that David and I knew each other in Arizona?"

"Yeah…" Henry said, confused. Oh wait, is David my real dad? Henry wondered, getting excited.

"Well, umm… you know he was a juvenile prison warden?" 

"Yeah, he always says he misses his job there but is glad to be closer to us," Henry said, smiling. "I'm glad he's closer to us too."

"Well, that's where I met David." Emma left it there and waited nervously, hoping one of the Henrys caught on to what she was trying to tell them. 

Henry Sr didn't say anything, just sitting there as he sipped his coffee and seemed to be contemplating her words.

"Oh, were you a guard there like Graham?" Henry asked curiously.

"No, kid. I was one of the inmates… "

"You were in prison? Cool! What for?"

"Henry Mills!" Regina shrieked, "that is not cool, young man." 

"Sorry mom, Emma. Why were-"

"Emma, dear, why don't you tell us your story? Don't interrupt her, Nieto," Henry Sr said in a soothing tone.

So Emma did. From running away from her last foster home to stealing the bug, meeting Neal, shoplifting and about Neal setting her up to take the fall for the watches that Neal stole. How she pleaded guilty for being an accessory to the crime for a lighter sentence if she gave them all of Neals hideouts. How they had found him at one of the hideouts she had mentioned, but he had somehow managed to get away. And the piece de resistance: how she discovered, when she was in juvie, that she was pregnant with his baby… how she gave the baby up for adoption. How David Nolan had been her mentor whilst she was in his prison and how he helped her find a suitable adoption agency. And how her baby boy was born, two months before she was due for release, on the 5th of July 2010.

"You're my birth mom!?" Henry gasped, standing up.

"We think so, kid. I mean when you told me your birthday, I was in complete shock. But I can see Neal in you. His hair colour, face shape, nose."

"And I see Emma's eyes, and the dimple on your left cheek, her cheeky smirks and the cleft in her chin in you, Henry," Regina said with a watery smile and glistening eyes.

"I see Emma in you too, Nieto. So clearly." Regina's dad also had glistening eyes, his throat tight with emotion. But he was also smiling.

"But we need to be certain because we might have a problem with Neal," Emma said seriously.

"I want you and Emma to do a DNA test which is done in the city. It's called a maternal DNA test. They need to swab both your mouths and then compare cells to see if they match particular patterns. I'm not certain how it works, but I would like to do it as soon as possible. Like Emma said, her ex-boyfriend - your biological father, Henry - has told Emma that he's planning to come here and try to take you away from Robin and me."

"What? How does he know? He can't do that, can he, mom. I mean I'm legally yours."

"Henry, we won't let him near you. Legally, he can't touch you. We've spoken to your family lawyer and she's assured us he has no legal rights. Even if he took us to court, no judge would ever grant him custody of any child. Firstly, because he's a criminal who's just recently been released from federal prison. I don't know what he did, but he's out and on probation. Secondly, if I ever see him again, I'll kick his… posterior, from here to the end of the universe. I promised your mom that you are hers, and no one will take you from her. Not even me. But I would like us to still all be friends. If you'll have me… "

"Emma, you are a part of this family now. And when I say family, I mean the Mills's," Henry Sr said as he stood up and hugged Emma for the third time that evening. So did Henry Jr. Regina wanted to but she was also afraid of ruining the moment, so she stayed seated and just watched them embrace Emma with a smile. 

"So when did you see Neal? Is he here?"

"No, kid. As far as I know, he's still back in Sandy Springs. As it turns out, he's the step-son of my former foster mom's. Remember I went there last week and came back really emotional? Well, he happened to come home to his dads just as I was leaving. He ended up driving me to the airport and told me…"

Emma told both Henrys a PG version of the story, but she wasn't sure about telling them about Neal implicating Robin. 

Regina saw how Emma had avoided the subject, Robin, maybe being involved in this story and mentally thanked Emma for her discretion.

"Henry, sweetheart, could you please excuse us for a moment. Emma and I need a private moment with Abuelo. I promise we have told you everything that involves yourself," Regina asked Henry.

Henry, sensing that this was quite a delicate matter, left the room and went to his bedroom to read.

Once they were in private, Regina didn't have any qualms about telling her dad exactly what Neal had told Emma about Robin.

"Dios mios, cariña. Please tell me this isn't true."

"I don't know, Papi. But we spoke to Mallory and she's looking into it."

Emma felt like she was intruding on a private conversation between Regina and her dad, but as she was about to excuse herself, Henry asked her about Neal.

"Emma, do you think Neal is telling the truth? I mean, you know him better than us."

"I honestly don't know, Henry. I mean I haven't seen him for over ten years. But I do remember Neal always had to get what he wanted. I can usually tell when someone is lying, though. It sounded like he was being truthful. But I don't know Robin, so that's why I had to let Regina know. Just in case it is true."

"Well, I'm afraid Robin and I have never seen eye-to-eye. But Cora and I never wanted to hinder Regina's happiness and she loves him so she agreed to marry him."

"Excuse me, you can see I'm right here, right?" Regina asked her dad, slightly annoyed.

"Sorry, cariña. Please forgive your old man. You do know how I feel about Robin, though I never want to tell you how to live your life and with whom. I just worry about you and Henry."

"I know, Papi. You and mom always made it perfectly clear." Regina didn't like to admit, now, that they had been right about Robin. Even off he's innocent in the accusations that Neal had made, Robin was still a sneaky bastard who liked getting his own way. 

"Emma, do you have a picture of Neal?" Henry asked, suddenly. "Just in case he does show up and we will know him if we do see him."

"I'm afraid I don't, I'm sorry. Maybe Mallory could get one? If he was incarcerated, then surely there would be a picture of him that was taken when he was booked in?"

"Good idea, Papi. I'll call Mallory first thing in the morning. But now, it's almost nine and Henry has school in the morning. I'll call Mr Colter and ask him to come pick us up."

'Okay, cool. I'll go find Henry," Emma said, wanting to excuse herself in case Regina and Henry wanted to talk in private.

"He'll be in his room, the last door on the left down the hallway, Emma."

"Thanks, Regina." And with that, Emma left them to join Henry.  
__________________________________

As Henry lay on his bed, he thought about everything he'd been told this evening. He was so glad that Regina and Emma had come forward with their news sooner rather than later. After hearing all about how Neal had treated Emma and set her up for his crime, decided that perhaps Robin was the better choice for a father. At least he wasn't a criminal. That he knew of. But he still didn't like him and he didn't like how Robin treated his mom like she was his slave. He never treated her nicely or told her how pretty she looked. He just gave orders and expected her and Henry to obey him. He secretly hoped that she would leave him and get sole custody of him since Robin was always too busy for him, anyway. Maybe Emma could be his other parent? She and Regina could share custody like divorced parents or something! Yeah, that would be awesome! Regina and Emma were best friends from what he could tell. He was sure they would be happy with sharing him. 

He also wondered about speaking to his Abuelo about maybe renting his apartment, above the garage, to Emma. She needed a new place to stay since her brother would be home soon. Abuelo's apartment would be the best place for her. He would ask him tomorrow in private, just in case his Abuelo had other plans for the apartment. He didn't want to put him on the spot in front of Emma, after all. Or make Emma feel bad if his Abuelo didn't agree with his plan, though he didn't think that would happen. He knew how much both his mom and Abuelo cared for Emma.

A knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts. 

"Come in!" Henry shouted out. The door opened and Emma peeked her head in. "Hey, Emma! Come on in!" Henry said sitting up. 

"Hey, kid. Cool room. You sleep over here often, then?" Emma came in, leaving the door slightly open. She joined him and sat on the bed.

"Yeah, every other Friday or Saturday. I was here a lot when I found out I was adopted. I was kinda angry at my mom and dad for lying. But you know the story. Anyway, Abuelo let me stay with him. Fir a few weeks until he talked some sense into me. About my mom, anyway," Henry smirked. "He really doesn't like my dad, though. But never bad mouths him to me."

"So, how are you feeling about what we told you? Are you happy to do the DNA test?" Emma asked, nervous for his answers.

"Are you kidding, Emma!? It's the best news ever! And I'll do the test if you need it done, but I don't need a piece of paper to tell me. I just know you are my birth mom." Henry beamed at Emma who's eyes were glistening.

"Do you have any questions? Like why I gave you up?"

"I understand why you did it, Emma. You were just a kid at the time. You gave me up to give me my best chance, Emma. And I'm really happy you did because then I wouldn't have my mom and Abuelo. But I'm glad I have you back too, now. I think it's fate, that you were meant to meet my mom and become her friend. She doesn't have many so I know how much you mean to her."

Henry threw his arms around Emma's neck and hugged her hard, and she hugged him back equally tight, tears streaming down her cheek.

"I feel the same way, Hen. I love you all so much."

They pulled apart just as Regina knocked on the door. 

"Sorry to interrupt, but an Uber is waiting for us. Is everything okay?" Regina asked when she noticed Emma's wet cheeks. 

"Absolutely perfect," Emma replies, smiling back at Regina. 

Henry quickly gave his mom a quick hug and kiss on her cheek without saying anything, before getting his school bag and leaving this room. Regina and Emma looked at each other before following him out wordlessly.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Events on the days leading up to dinner party...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have changed Henry Sr's living location to New Jersey rather than Brooklyn as it made more sense. I hope this chapter makes sense. Comments help me become a better writer...

A few things happened in the days leading up to the dinner party that Robin and Regina we're throwing on Friday evening.

Monday Night  
When Regina and Henry got home, after first dropping Emma off at her apartment, Henry went for a shower. Regina then let him have a hot chocolate before his bedtime, and she even joined him. They spoke a bit about Emma and Henry told Regina not to worry about Neal. Or Emma. 

"Yes, I love Emma, but you will always be my mom, mom." He looked her in the eye as he said this.

"Thank you, my little prince. I love you so much," Regina said, pinching his cheek. 

"I love you too, mom." 

Henry finished off his drink and placed his empty mug in the dishwasher before kissing his mom on her lips and giving her a tight hug which she returned.

"Good night, mom," Henry said as he released her and went up to bed.

"Good night, sweetheart." Regina watched him leave the kitchen with a smile on her face.

At her own place, Emma has searched all social media platforms she could think of for both Neal Cassidy and Neal Golde, but came up empty for photos of him. Though there was an account under the name Neal's Neverland which got her attention. She quickly made up a fake Facebook account under the name Tink Bell and then befriended Neal's Neverland just to see who it was exactly. Perhaps if she asked him for a photo then he would send one if he thought he was getting lucky. She then sent a text to Regina, just to let her know she hadn't found Neal - Cassidy or Gold - on social media, so to please go ahead and ask Mallory. 

Tuesday:  
Regina called Mallory first thing on Tuesday morning to ask if it was possible to have a mugshot of Neal sent to her. She then phoned the DNA testing centre, on Madison Avenue, to book the maternal test for that afternoon. She paid the fee upfront over the phone, and they emailed her the receipt. She didn't want Emma to pay for it when she still wasn't earning her salary and would need to find a place to rent. Oh, maybe Papi can rent the apartment, above his garage, to Emma. It was ideal. He was just using it to store junk. Her Papi was a hoarder. She quickly sent him a message from her phone just as she got a message from him herself.

"Cariña, I was in the apartment above my garage sorting out things for my church's charity bazaar and I just wondered if Emma would be okay staying here? It seems silly for her to pay so much for an apartment when there's an empty one here looking for a person to fill it."

Regina just laughed at the coincidence of the message. A few seconds later, a second message arrived from her dad.

"Great minds…. I'll text her then. Talk to you later, cariña. Xx"

Regina was free from appointments from 4 pm, but so she arranged with Robin that she'd fetch Henry from Mrs Lucas's. She has phoned him under the guise of asking what he wanted for dinner. When he said he'd be out again, she was quite pleased, though curious. She wondered if Marian was in the city. Regina and Henry met Emma at the DNA testing centre. After their mouths were stabbed, Emma took out her wallet to pay for the test. When told that it had been paid for already, Emma just narrowed her eyes at Regina and pointed her finger. 

"Fine, but then I'm taking you two out for dinner! Do you guys like Indian?"

"Yes! There's a place nearby called "Sathi", Henry exclaimed.

"Just the place I'm thinking of, kid. So what do you say, Regina? Fancy a family date?" Just as she said it, her eyes widened. She couldn't believe she put her foot in it and called them her family "I mean-"

"I'd fancy it very much. Lead the way, future deputy under-sheriff." Regina said, smiling. 

Henry walked between them holding each of their hands. 

A nice dinner was had by all and Emma shared the news of Henry having phoned her to offer her the apartment above his garage, which she graciously accepted. 

"Really? Cool! I was going to mention it to him later! Isn't it funny that he thought of it first?" Henry had said.

"That's funny, because I thought of it this morning and sent him a message…" and Regina told them the rest of what had happened.

Emma just laughed and said, "great minds!"

Wednesday:  
That morning, Mallory sent an email to Regina with a photo of Neal Cassidy. It was indeed his mugshot but there was also one taken of him with other inmates in the federal prison. They looked like they were just hanging out in the courtyard, and they were all smiling as if they were in a summer camp rather than prison. Emma was right, Henry had the same colour hair as Neal's, and his nose. But she thought everything else was all Emma. Even Henry's eyes. Emma thought they were more Neal's, but Regina thought they were more like Emma's. Though Henry's were more hazel than green. Neal's we're bright blue. It was more the shape of his eyes and the way they betrayed his emotions. Emma's were the same. Regina then forwarded the pictures to Emma and to her Papi. She would show the pictures to Henry, tonight, in the privacy of his bedroom.

Thursday:  
Emma finally heard back from Neal's Neverland via Facebook Messenger at just after eleven that evening. She was just on her laptop checking out places to visit in New Jersey when she heard a ping.

"Hey, Tink. Do you have a photo to go with your name?"

"I'm in my profile pic."

"But that's just a cartoon. Or are you saying you're the real Tinkerbell?"

"You wish! Besides, there's no photos of you on your profile except rally cars. Are you really a Neverland fan? Or did I choose the wrong person?" 

"Depends. Who are you looking for? Rally cars are my Neverland btw."

"Not sure what that means. Anyway, Just someone I knew a long time ago in Arizona. He had a thing about Peter Pan's Neverland."

"How about you send me a photo of the real you, and then we can see if I'm the person you're looking for?" 

"Wouldn't it make more sense if you sent me a photo of yourself, then?" Emma had an idea of who's picture to send this guy. But how?

"I will. After you send me yours." 

Emma rolled her eyes.

"Okay, give me a sec to find a decent picture of myself😉"

Shit, I don't have any pics of Ruby on my phone, Emma thought to herself. 

"I accept nudes 😉" was the reply she got back.

"🙄"

Emma quickly dashed to Graham's apartment, knowing he'd be home and awake at this time. She let herself in and found him in the living room eating cereal as a snack.

"Graham, do you still have any pictures of Ruby lying around? I need one! Like right now!"

"Why would I have any? She dumped me." Graham hadn't taken his eyes off the tv screen. 

Emma just stared at him hard.

"Okay, fine," Graham sighed. "There's one in the top drawer of my bedside table."

Emma rushed to Graham's bedroom which looked like Christian Grey's sex play room - if anyone asked her opinion of it - and checked his top drawer. Graham lied. There was more than one. And fuck, he could have warned her that most of them were nudes. Ewww! That's a side of Ruby she wished she could forget, but now they were ingrained in her memory - probably forever. She took a few pictures of them with her phone and then quickly put them back. 

"Thanks for the warning!" she shouted out as she rushed back out to her apartment.

"You're welcome," he said as he smirked at her.

Emma sat down at her laptop, quickly transferred the photos and sent one to Neal's Neverland. Not a nude one. She only had to wait a moment before he replied.

"Ruby? Is that really you?"

Emma's eyes teared up. Could Ruby really have betrayed her? 

"Depends who's asking. Your turn." 

"Okay, one sec." 

A picture appeared a moment later, and there was no mistaking who it was. 

"Neal Cassidy. It's been a while." 

"It sure has. But just tell me one more thing so I know it's really you… something only you and I would know."

"Do you mean like how I gave you all the inside info you needed on Emma Swan?"

"Hey Rubes! And thanks to you, I've been keeping track of my son. I actually saw Emma last week. Can you believe that my stepmom used to be her foster mom when Emma was a kid!" 

That fucking bastard! Emma was fuming.

"No way! So what's she doing now?"

"Last I heard, she was a bounty hunter in Tallahassee."

Hmmm, so he's either bluffing or he really doesn't know I'm in New York now. She hadn't told him where she was going when he drove her to the airport.

"What about you, Neal. I'm in Brooklyn.

"No kidding! I'm planning a trip to New York soon. My son is there."

"Oh, you have another kid? Sweet! How old is he?"

"No, I mean my son that that bitch gave away to a couple of strangers. I know the kid's adoptive dad. I have some info I can blackmail him with. "

"Oh really, so you're just going to show up and surprise him? Clever thinking. But isn't adoption a legal thing? Sorry, I'm not all up on adoption laws. Anyway, let's hook up when you are over here! We can go out for drinks and catch up."

"Of course, I'll let you know when I'm in town!"

"Cool. Well I have to go to bed. I have work in the morning."

"Sure thing, Rubes. Sleep well and dream of me ;)"

Emma just ignored his last message and logged off. She then checked the time. Almost midnight, damn. Was it too late to call Regina? Or Henry Sr.? She decided to send Regina a message on her phone asking if she could call her now. She never got a reply so she guessed that she'd probably be sleeping. Probably a good idea to go to bed herself. She really did need to get up early as she was going to see her new apartment in the morning. 

Friday (day of the dinner party):  
It was just after eight when her phone rang, waking her up.

"'Ello?" she mumbled, her eyes still closed.

"Emma, you are meant to be at my dad's house at nine aren't you? How can you still be in bed?" Regina asked, though she knew Emma would sleep in. 

"How do you know I'm in bed still?"?

"Your voice! It sounds like I just woke you up."

"Okay, fine. So what's up?" Emma asked as she climbed out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. Would Regina know if I'm on the toilet while we're on the phone? Emma wondered.

"You tell me. I got your message from last night. Sorry, I had an early night. I've actually taken the day off to prepare this damn dinner party."

"It's okay, I was calling with news about Neal. Do you remember I told you about that fake Facebook account that I created to see if someone I found was really Neal?"

"Yes, the Tinkerbell one?"

"Yeah! Well he sent me a message late last night…" Emma told Regina everything that was said in the chat between Neal and herself. She told Regina that she took screenshots of her chat and emailed them to Regina before going to bed. And that she needs to forward them to Mallory. 

"This Neal is either very dim or is playing you, or us, Emma. We need to be careful. Did you check if the real Ruby is on Facebook, Emma." 

"Yeah, I did a quick check. I couldn't see a profile for her. Anyway, I always thought he was kinda dumb, but I was a young stupid kid myself. What did I know? But I agree that we need to be cautious in case he's bluffing us. Do you and Robin have a password for anyone who picks Henry up from school that isn't either of you?"

"Yeah, why? Do you need to pick him up?" 

"No, don't tell me. Just change the password and only tell your dad. Not anyone else, not even Robin. Or me. Okay?"

"Okay, but I do trust you." 

"I know, and I really do appreciate that. But just trust me on this, okay? I really think you should go to his school as soon as possible and do the password change in person, Regina. 

"Okay, I'll walk him there myself. Thank you, Enma. I'll see you tonight, then? "

"Yes! I'll be there in my best rags! See ya later, Doc!"

"Bye, Emma!" Regina said, rolling her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be the dinner party and then something more...


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fun at the dinner party...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've used the majority of the dialogue in this chapter from a mix of the film's transcript and the novel of "The Prince of Tides" by Pat Conroy. So 90% credit goes to them. I just Swan Qeenified it all.

Emma arrived at the dinner party a bit later than expected. She wasn't late for the party itself, but Regina had asked her to come earlier so that Emma wouldn't feel awkward about making an entrance in front of the other guests. 

Emma had taken her suit to the dry cleaners and had paid extra for a speedy same day service. But then they were delayed due to a machine that had broken down, which made Emma late. But it was worth it to see the look on Regina's face when Emma did make her entrance. 

There were only a couple of guests who had arrived before Emma had, and Regina was busy talking to them when Emma appeared in the living room - which had been transformed to accommodate all the party guests. Regina had stopped talking mid-sentence to stare at Emma, who was dressed in a charcoal feminine satin pantsuit and matching blazer and a slim tie. She wore an emerald green shirt, which made her eyes stand out against her subtle eyeliner. Her make up was light, though. 

The other two guests looked back to see who their hostess was staring at, and they too, cast Emma an appreciative glance. 

"Hi, Doc," Emma said, shyly. 

"Emma, you look beautiful. You scrub up well. What would you like to drink, dear?" Regina asked as she signalled one of the waiters that Robin had hired.

"Thanks. So do you. I'll have a lime soda, please." 

Regina gave the order to the waiter as Emma admired her attire. Regina was dressed in a sleek, long, black gown and black peep-toe four-inch heels - the colour added a touch of the sensual to Regina’s beauty. Her make up was light, but her beautiful brown eyes were framed with black eyeliner and smoky grey eyeshadow. Her hair was left in her natural curls. 

Regina then turned back to her guests. "Emma, may I introduce you to our friends Madison and Christine Kingsley?” Regina said, remembering her manners. 

"Hi," Emma said in her shy way as she leaned over and shook hands with one of the most famous playwrights in America and his wife.

"Hello, Emma! We've heard all about you from Henry. He tells us you've been teaching him karate." Christine said, sounding rather impressed. Emma liked her instantly. 

"Yes, he's a great student. Is he here? I thought he was at your dad's place tonight," Emma said looking back at Regina, confused.

"He is. Madison and Christine live on the third floor of our apartment building,” Regina said. “Henry sees them quite often. Madison went to prep school with Robin."

"Lucky you," Emma couldn't help but say, just as her lime soda arrived. Christine barked out a laugh which made Emma jump as she was about to take a sip of her drink.

"Isn't he indeed, Emma," Christine said, almost sarcastically. Hmmm, seems she's not a Robin fan, Emma thought. Another reason to like her. 

"If you will excuse me, ladies and Madison, I just need to check on dinner. I'll be back soon, Emma. Christine and Madison will look after you." Regina winked at Emma as she left to attend her dinner duties. 

"Yes, I promise we don't bite, Emma," Madison said kindly. Then whispered the next bit, "we are more Regina's friends than Robin's." 

"Good to know. She said she doesn't have many, but I think we only need a few good friends rather than a big group of bad ones." 

"Touché, Emma, touché." Christine clinked her champagne flute with Emma's glass of lime soda.

"Where is Robin, anyway? I thought this was his shindig," Emma asked her companions as she looked around for the man in question.

"Oh, he's still busy getting ready. We are usually early to their dinner parties. He never comes out until 7 pm sharp."

"Ah, I see. So he expects Regina to do all the work until then?" Emma couldn't understand why Regina was with this asshole. She was too good for him.

"Yes, that's exactly what I expect." 

The trio turned around to see Robin standing nearby, dressed in a tuxedo. 

"Must be seven o clock," Emma smiled.

"Good evening, Madison," Robin said as he shook his friend's hand. "Christine, you look lovely as usual." Robin kissed her hand. "And Miss Swan." Robin looked Emma up and down in an obvious manner. "Don't you look dashing in your suit? Lovely to see you again." Robin shook her hand, squeezing extra firmly. Was he trying to one-up man her with a handshake?

"Thanks, Robin," Emma said as she took her hand back. 

Just then, more guests filtered into the room and Robin excused himself to welcome them.

Emma stayed with Madison and Christine, entertaining them by recounting stories about her bails bond days. She was also looking around the room trying to find Regina, who was distracted and spent much of her time directing the help in the kitchen. Emma had gone to get more drinks for Christine and Madison, and herself, when Robin walked back through the door with a dark-skinned brunette on his arm. He was looking rather smug about it and she wondered who the hell this woman was.

Robin made his way over to their group and introduced the woman to Emma.

"Miss Swan, this is Marion Hudson. She is my very talented flutist." Robin said, smugly. "This is the Miss Swan I was telling you about," Robin introduced Emma as if she were a bad taste in his mouth.

"Please call me Emma," Emma said, smiling politely at the woman. 

"Ah yes, Robin's spoken a lot about you, Emma," was all the woman said, with a slight smirk.

Then Robin and Marion walked away to greet the guests. Marion walked on Robin's arm as if she were his wife and co-host of the dinner party while Regina was working her ass off making sure everything was running smoothly. Emma just raised an eyebrow as she watched the couple walk around the room greeting the others. Christine and Madison just looked at Emma, not knowing what to say.

A little while later, Emma noticed Regina standing in a corner of the room, just quietly observing the scene. Emma excused herself from her companions and went to join her hostess. 

"I thought classical flutists were… supposed to be pinched and anaemic-looking," Emma said as she stood close to Regina, who was watching Robin and Marion do their rounds.

"I'll sit you next to her in case you wanna make a pass," Regina smirked at Emma. 

"No, thanks. She's not my type." 

"Good," Regina said, sounding relieved.

"Why do you say that?" 

"I think she's having an affair with my husband. I'm gonna check on dinner." And with that she was headed back to the kitchen, Emma staring at her in shock as Regina walked away.

Emma made her way back to Christine and Madison just as Robin joined them.

"Can I get anyone a drink?" Emma asked. Marion and Christine declined, but Robin asked for a scotch. Emma quickly went to the bar and came back with scotch for Robin and also one for herself.

"I'm delighted you're here, Emma." Robin's tone was sickly sweet and betrayed his insincerity. He accepted his scotch, but never uttered a word of thanks.

"I'm delighted I got to hear you play in person again," Emma replied. She wasn't really, but she had manners.

"What? Again?" Robin said, fake shocked.

"Yes, I saw you at the Miami Music Festival that my girlfriend dragged me to, last summer." 

"Ah yes. I've never liked Florida. Too humid for my liking. Have you ever seen a Stradivarius up close?" Robin asked as he just so happened to have his violin close by. "This is the finest instrument ever made. I want to play something just for you. Tell me what you would like to hear."

“I don’t know very much about classical music, Robin. Anything would be fine with me," Emma said, wishing he'd just leave her alone. 

"Everyone, I'm going to play something in Miss Swan's honour. It's not that often we have Southern guests, huh? I'm afraid I don't know many… karate songs, but here's one you may know…"

“I think it’s nice that Henry is finally showing some interest in something,” Christine Kingsley quickly added, before Robin started playing.

Emma smiled at her gratefully but felt the atmosphere tensing as Robin first glared at Christine and then she felt Robin’s gaze following her. She realized, suddenly, that she had erred in accepting Robin’s invitation. It was too late to do anything but plunge wholeheartedly into the melody. Never had “Dixie” been played so flawlessly or with such ironic intent. Robin exaggerated his movements to heighten the effect of the satire. When he finished he looked at Emma with a cunning grin and then she noticed that Regina had come out of the kitchen into the living room. She looked frightened and angry.

"So what did you think, Emma?" Robin asked.

"Damn it all, Rob, that Mozart sure cranked out some snappy tunes," Emma said, smiling mockingly at the bastard. 

In the laughter that followed, Regina ushered everyone into the dining room, instructing them to take their drinks in with them.

"Who is he?" Emma heard someone ask Robin. 

"That's a friend of Regina's," Robin replied. "Some redneck karate instructor." Charming, Emma thought.

"I have been living in Florida for the past decade, Robin." And with at, Emma followed the other guests to the dining room. 

Robin drained his glass of Scotch and poured himself another before he joined them. He sat at the head of the table with Marion on his left and Madison Kingsley on his right. Emma found herself between Cristine and Regina, who sat at the head of the table, opposite Robin.

"The food is wonderful. Is it the same cook as last year?" A guest, whom Emma couldn't name, asked.

"Yes. I'm glad you like it," Regina replied politely. 

Emma could sense that Regina was miserable sitting there listening to the bland conversations at the table. She conversed with Regina and Christine, thankful that Robin was now ignoring her

"A minor artist. How can you dismiss his work as unimportant? It's hanging in the goddamn Metropolitan," Madison stated loudly.

"Well, Madison, so is toilet paper," Robin replied, equally loud. "Emma, talk to Madison. He's a great admirer of Southern authors. Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor, Eudora Welty."

"Oh, well, I…. I'm not an author, though."

"I love all those renegade Confederates," Madison replied. 

"They're all mad as hatters, aren't they?" Robin asked no one in particular. "I suppose you know a few things about madness." Robin continued, looking at Emma this time.

"A bit," she replied, annoyed at his attention again. 

"Emma's brother is August Booth. Are you familiar with his work, Madison?" Robin's gaze didn't leave Emma, though.

"Yes. He's good. Very good."

"He's Regina's patient." 

"I don't think that's appropriate, Robin," Regina said angrily. She then looked at Emma with a sorrowful expression. "Excuse me for revealing that information, Emma,” Regina said miserably. “Sometimes I make mistakes. One often has the faith one can trust one’s own husband.”

“Regina,” Emma said, “in the light of the whole evening that seems small potatoes indeed.”

"Oh come on, Regina! Everyone knows you're the great psychic healer of the literary community. I'm surprised you don't get a share of their royalties," Robin exclaimed.

"What have you been drinking, Robin?" Madison asked. 

"You should ask Emma. She poured me a drink earlier. Were you trying to poison me, Miss Swan?" Robin asked, smirking at Emma.

"Not intentionally. But you know how the subconscious mind works," Emma smiled sweetly, back.

"I like you, Emma. I like your feistiness, your Tara-like pride." Robin continued to smirk.

"You said you wouldn't do this, Robin," Regina hissed at him. 

"You're right. I shouldn't pick on Emma. I should pick on you for turning my son into some violent karate kid thug!" Robin shouted at Regina. The whole room quietened in a very uncomfortable atmosphere and none of the guests knew where to look.

"I can't believe you'd let Henry play a sport that could hurt his hands," Marion finally said, looking at Regina. 

“Shut your fucking mouth, Marion,” Regina screamed, rising to her feet.

“What?” a stunned Marion said. “I was just expressing an opinion.”

"You keep your goddamn mouth shut,” Regina said, still screaming. “And, Robin, if you say one more word to Emma, I’m going to fling every goddamn dish on the table at your head.”

"Reggie,” Robin said, laughing nervously. “People might think we have marital problems. We don’t want to give the wrong impression.”

But Regina wasn't finished.

“And, Marion,” screamed the outraged Dr Mills, “get your hand off my husband’s cock. That’s it. Pull it away discreetly. Pretend you haven’t been giving him a handjob under the table while he’s been insulting my friend. I’ve seen you do that revolting little trick about twenty times now and I’m getting sick of it. That’s why I usually try to seat you as far away from him as possible. Because I can stand the fact that you’re fucking him in private, but it’s too much for me to watch you diddle him in public.”

Marion rose out of her chair, first looking at Regina, then at Robin. Then she staggered out of the room and down the hall. It seemed to everyone at the dining table that Robin had lost control of his dinner party. When he looked at Emma, she said, “Tide’s turned, big boy.”

He ignored Emma and, looking at Regina, said, “You go and apologize to Marion this instant, Regina. How dare you humiliate a g—”

“Go ahead and say it,” she yelled. “A guest in our goddamn happy home. I just watched you humiliate Emma in our home. I’ve watched you do it to every friend I’ve brought to this house. Neither Christine nor Madison nor I have ever had the guts to stop you because we’re afraid you’d turn that ugliness on us. You go in and apologize to that cheap slut.”

“I think it’s you who should make the appropriate gesture, Regina,” he said.

“Are you all enjoying the party?” Emma asked everyone, who were all staring at their plates.

“You can’t get up from the table yet, can you, Rob?” Regina asked, laughing. “Tell everyone why. I know why, Rob. Because you’ve still got a hard-on from her giving you a handjob under the table. Stand up, Rob. Let everybody see. She handles a flute brilliantly, I’m sure, or anything even remotely shaped like one. Everyone at this table knows you’ve been having an affair with her for the past two years. Everyone except Emma. We’re such a close-knit, supportive little group. So supportive that Christine and Madison entertained you in their house in Barbados last winter.”

“We didn’t know she would be there, Regina,” Madison said.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Robin said through gritted teeth.

Regina shot back, “We’ll talk about it when you end your affair with Marion.”

“A mere dalliance, my dear,” he said, regaining his composure. “But I’ll put my taste in friends up against your taste in friends any day of the week.”

“A small difference, Robin,” Regina said. “Emma and I are not fucking.” Yet, Regina thought.

Emma's face turned bright red at the idea of being that lucky. 

“Even you have more taste than that,” Robin said.

“Good God, Robin,” Madison Kingsley moaned.

“Oh, shut up, Madison,” Robin said. “Quit looking so shocked. It’s not as though you’ve never seen Reggie and me argue before.”

"For fucks sake, stop calling me Reggie!"

"Well, then you stop calling me Rob! Now go apologise to Marion!"

“Not until you apologize to Emma,” she said.

“I have nothing more to say to your little friend,” he said.

Emma broke the brief silence between them by saying, “I can make Rob here apologize to both of us, Regina.”

“You’re still here, Emma?” Robin said. “What a pity. How are you planning to get me to apologize to you?”

“Well,” Emma said, “I thought I might just kick your ass up and down the stairs. But I rejected that plan. It would prove only that I was the barbarian you take me to be. I would find beating you up personally satisfying, but socially tacky. So I came up with another plan. I think it shows more wit and a lot more culture.”

“Robin has never apologized to anyone for anything,” Christine said.

Emma got up from the dining table, walked to the sideboard at the end of the room and poured herself a large glass of scotch. Regina watched her curiously but didn't interrupt as she wanted to see how this played out.

“To pull this off," Emma said, "I have to be a little drunk." 

Emma threw her head back as the scotch went down easily. She felt it light up her bloodstream. Then she walked out of the dining room and into the living room. She walked quickly past the grand piano and unsnapped the locks that held Robin Locksley's Stradivarius. Good, she thought, I’m drunk enough.

"Robin," she called out, “karate girl has got hold of your fiddle and you best come running.”

When the dinner party arrived to join Emma on the terrace, She was holding the violin out over the edge of the terrace, eight stories above Central Park West.

“That’s a Stradivarius, Emma,” Madison Kingsley said.

“Yes, I thought I heard that fact mentioned fifty or sixty times tonight,” she said cheerfully. “It’s a pretty little sucker, isn’t it?”

"That’s worth over a million dollars, Swan,” Robin said, and Emma thought she noticed a slight catch in his throat.

“Not if I drop it, Rob,” she said. “Then it won’t be worth shit.”

“Don't do it, Emma,” Regina said, concerned for what Robin might do to Emma. 

"Apologize to your wife, Robin. I love your wife and I think she might be the best friend I’ve ever made.”

“You’re just bluffing, Swan,” Robin sneered, and Emma could hear some of the power return to his voice.

“I might be,” she said. “But it’s a powerful bluff, isn’t it, asshole?”

Emma tossed the violin in the air and caught it on the fly, leaning far out over the balcony’s edge.

“It’s fully insured,” Robin said, almost smugly

“It might be, Rob. But you’ll never own another Stradivarius if I let this one fly.”

Christine said, “It’s a work of art, Emma.”

“Apologize to your wife, creep,” Emma said to Robin. She was getting tired of this party and just wanted to leave.

“I’m very sorry, Regina,” Robin said, without even looking at his wife. “Now give me my violin, Swan.”

“Sincerely, Robin,” Emma continued. “Very sincerely. Take the irony out of your voice or your little fiddle will be bouncing like a beach ball down there among the taxicabs.”

“I’m very sorry, Regina,” he said without irony.

“That’s better, Robin,” Emma said. “Sincerity becomes you. Now me, Robin. Apologize for your unforgivable breach of etiquette at the table tonight. I’m sorry that you don’t let your wife have friends. And that you cheat on her. Don't you see how lucky you are to have her? And you had no right to treat me like that, you fucking asshole. None in the world.”

Robin looked at Regina, then at Emma, and said, “I apologize, Miss Swan.”

“Not quite humble enough yet, Robin,” Emma said sadly. “Come on, man, just one more moment of humility, then I’ll walk out your front door forever. Otherwise, winos will be using pieces of your fiddle to clean their teeth.”

“I’m sorry, Emma. I’m very sorry,” he said. Then he added, looking at his wife, “and, Regina, I’d mean that even if she wasn’t threatening me.”

"Good boy, Robin,” Emma said, handing him his violin. Emma then looked at her friend with sad eyes. “I’m deeply sorry if I’ve offended you, Regina.”

Emma walked to the front door and left without going through the courteous gestures of leave-taking.

Regina looked angrily at Robin before following Emma out.

On Central Park West, Emma was hailing a cab when she heard Regina’s voice behind her. 

"Emma, wait!" 

She turned around and gasped at Regina's tear-stained face.

“This is why you’re always sad, Regina,” Emma said as Regina approached her. “And I thought you had it made.”

“Have you ever made love to a psychiatrist?” she asked.

“No," Emma gulped. "Have you ever made love to a future deputy under-sheriff?” Emma asked back.

“No,” Regina said, “but I plan to have a different answer tomorrow morning.”

And Emma kissed Regina Mills, who looked beautiful in the moonlight, Regina flinging her arms around Emmas neck as she kissed her back with equal passion. Finally, the cab driver asked if they were getting in or not. Emma didn't want their kiss to ever end. It was better than she had ever imagined it to be. But she let Regina go and followed her into the cab. They just held each other all the way to Emma's apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for ending it there, but the chapter was getting away with me and I wanted a decent cliffhanger for you all. Please forgive me. But you now know that next chapter will be NSFW.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NSFW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thanks to Valk1 for being my greatest cheerleaders, and queststar for your helpful tips and suggestions with this chapter. I was finding it difficult to write as I've never written smut before. I have read a lot but writing it is harder than I thought it would be. I also looked through a great site called The Sexy Thesaurus which helped me a lot and I borrowed a few sentences and phrases from one of my favourite Georgia Beers's novel "Thy Neighbours Wife", when I was struggling to write Regina's turn to love Emma.

Emma gently took Regina's hand as they got out of the cab and together, they made their way into the apartment building. They rode the elevator in silence, both of them nervous, but still held hands. Once they got to Emma's temporary residence and the door closed behind them, Regina decided she just couldn't wait for another second to kiss Emma again so she stepped towards her, just as she closed and locked the apartment door, and pushed Emma up against the door. Regina then cupped her face and kissed her, this time slipping her tongue into Emma's mouth. Her hands slid up into Emma's hair. Regina had always wanted to touch Emma's hair but thought that it might be inappropriate to do so. Now she took advantage of the fact that she could. And it felt just as soft as she'd often imagined it would. She'd been watching Emma throughout the evening, admiring her attire, and the way the suit showed off her body perfectly. Emma was probably the most beautiful woman she'd ever laid eyes on. And her rough personality added to her charm. It endeared her to Regina. And when she discovered that Emma was Henry's birth mom? Well, it made her want Emma even more.

Emma wrapped her arms tightly around Regina's back as she kissed her deeply. Regina tasted divine and she never wanted to stop. Eventually, they both had to stop and breath, Emma taking the opportunity to drag Regina to her room. She gently pushed Regina up against a wall, facing it so that Regina's hands were splayed up against the wall, her forehead leaning against it. Emma kissed the back of her neck, her lips moving slowly down as she grabbed the tab of the zip at the top of Regina's exquisite gown. She kissed each inch of exposed olive skin as she pulled the long zip down Regina's back. She had to bend down as she kissed her way to the small of Regina's beautifully smooth back. Regina was a small and petite woman, but only now did Emma realise how much shorter she was. Her intimidating personality and the way she carried herself always made Regina seem taller. Her four-inch heels also helped, but she'd kicked those off as soon as they had entered Emma's apartment. 

"Regina, I have to tell you..." Emma murmured, caressing Regina's spine with her lips, "I'm falling in love with you..." She worked her way down, slowly. "In fact," she whispered with her mouth on the curve of Regina's hips, "I am in love with you."

At that point, Regina turned around, letting her dress fall and pool around her feet. She stepped out of it, kicking it to the side as she held onto Emma's biceps. She was now just in a pair of black lace thongs and a matching push up bra which Emma subconsciously licked her lips at. "Then I suppose this is a good time to tell you that I've been in love with you for a while now." She pushed Emma's blazer off her shoulders. "You're wearing too much, Miss Swan." She tugged Emma's tie off and slowly unbuttoned her shirt, watching closely as first Emma's gorgeous milky white chest, then a green satin bra, was exposed. She kept unbuttoning the shirt, Emma's arms limp at her sides as she watched Regina undressing her. Regina's expression was one of awe as she took in Emma's semi-naked top half. Her breasts were small in comparison to Regina's but Regina still looked at them as if she'd just won the lottery. Then she looked further down and found Emma's six-pack abdomen. More defined than any man she'd ever been with, including Robin's. But they felt softer to the touch as she gently placed her hands on them just to feel them tremble under her touch. She also noticed a tiny scar just above her low rise trousers. She quickly looked up at Emma's face. 

"Do you like what you see, Doc?" Emma asked, a little breathless, and yet slightly amused.

"Yes." Regina certainly did. 

"Well, you look beautiful, Regina. Robin is a fool."

"Let's not ruin this moment by talking about my soon to be ex-husband. Now take off your pants, Miss Swan. I want to see those legs! Your skin is exquisite. Like porcelain. Did… was Henry born by cesarean section? I noticed a scar… "

"Yeah, he was breached. It was an emergency C-section because the midwife was worried that he was losing oxygen."

Regina got down on her knees as she unbuckled Emma's belt and unbuttoned then unzipped her trousers. As she pulled the trousers down slightly, she leant forward and placed a reverent kiss on the scar. She then placed a hand on it as she looked up at Emma who was looking down at Regina. "Thank you for looking after him and giving him to me, Emma," Regina said, then continued to slide the trousers down Emma's muscley thighs and shapely legs.

"I couldn't have wished for a better mother for him than you, Regina."

When the trousers got to the floor, Emma kicked them off. Now they were equal, both in just their underwear. Emma quickly removed her socks and then she took Regina's hand as they walked over to the bed. They were both nervous. Emma, because she was about to make love to the most amazing and beautiful woman she had ever met. Regina for the same reason, but also because this was her first time with a woman. Yes, she'd kissed a few girls, and she'd always been attracted to women, but that's where it stopped. Now here was Emma - a golden-haired alabaster-skinned goddess - and Regina didn't have a clue what to do apart from kissing.

"Regina, are you okay?" Emma asked as they stood at the end of the bed. "If you've changed your mind-"

"No, I want you, Emma. I just… I've never been with a woman before." Regina blushed as she looked embarrassedly into Emma's green eyes. The lights were dimmed, but her green eyes still stood out brightly. 

"Oh, I thought... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed. I just thought that you had when you told me your first kiss had been with a girl. I'm sorry-"

Regina put her index finger on Emma's lips to stop her rambling. "Shhh!" she chuckled, a little flustered. "I'm sure you can show me… plus, I'm usually a quick learner." 

"Just do what you like being done to you. I promise whatever you do will be amazing because it will be your hands touching me. Your lips. Even your voice turns me on." 

Regina gently shoved Emma onto the bed and she lay on her back. Regina climbed up on top of her, straddling her hips and instantly palmed Emma's soft breasts, then bent down to kiss them. Emma's bra was in the way so she sat back up and pulled Emma into a sitting position as she put her arms around Emma's back. She fumbled a bit but finally managed to unclip her bra as Emma did the same to Regina's. They pulled off each other's bras, throwing them to the side, then Emma lay back panting. Regina looked down at Emma, her eyes dilating as she felt her panties getting soaked. She palmed Emma's breast again, feeling how stiff Emma's nipples had become. 

"You're beautiful, Emma."

"Even with a flat chest?" Emma had always been self-conscious about her small A-cup breasts.

"Your chest is certainly not flat, Emma," Regina said as she massaged Emma's breasts. They fit perfectly in each of Regina's hands. "Besides, I've heard that more than a handful is a waste." Then Regina bent down and took Emma's left nipple in her mouth, sucking lightly. Emma gasped, then moaned, as she held tightly onto Regina's waist. Regina kept sucking and licking around the areola while she massaged Emma's right breast.

"Are you sure you've not done this before?" Emma asked as she panted. Her hands moved up to Regina's head, first keeping her there before directing Regina's mouth to her right breast. After more licking and sucking, Emma placed her palms on Regina's face and she pulled her up into another passionate kiss. She couldn't get enough of them. Regina's bigger breasts were squashed up against Emma's and their weight and texture against her breasts felt out of this world. Regina's hands were now on the bed, on each side of Emma's head, as she tried not to put all her weight down on Emma.

"Relax, Regina. I promise you won't squash me. I quite like the weight on me so please don't worry about straining those beautiful arms. Put your hands to better use." Emma winked at Regina before pulling her down and then flipping them. Now, with Regina on her back, Emma took advantage and lay between her legs and she took one of Regina's plump breasts into her mouth as she massaged the other breast. The sounds Regina was making was sending Emma wild, and she thought she might cum right then and there. She moved onto the other breast, paying it equal attention before kissing down Regina's flat stomach. She left open-mouthed kisses as she travelled down, kissing and licking her belly button. Emma could hear Regina panting as she kissed further down and reached the top of the beautiful doctor's thong. She leaned down, and kissed her covered core, noticing immediately that they were damp. The scent was intoxicating.

"May I remove these?" Emma asked, looking up at Regina who could only nod, unable to speak.

It had been over two years since she and Robin had been intimate and so she'd been giving herself orgasms using only her fingers. She was desperate for someone else - well, Emma's fingers or anything else of Emma's - inside her.

She felt Emma's fingers hook into the side straps of her thong and start to tug them down, so she lifted her hips to help her along. She felt Emma get off her and so Regina leaned up on her elbows to see Emma standing and quickly sliding her boy shorts down her legs and kicking them off. Emma was sublime, her figure was one that any goddess might envy. Her white skin looked absolutely delicious. Like silky cream. And her core was completely shaved apart from a thin landing strip.

Emma was standing there admiring Regina right back. Her olive-toned skin was glowing and her perfectly shaved centre was glistening with all the moisture. Emma climbed back over Regina and lined her own centre with Regina's as she lay on top of her. Regina gasped as she felt Emma's core start rubbing up against hers. Emma's hands were caressing Regina's cheeks as she started gyrating her hips.

"Hi," she smiled down shyly at Regina. "Is this okay?"

"Hello," Regina smiled brightly back at Emma." more than okay. Now touch me." 

Regina claimed Emma's lips as Emma moved her right hand down between their bodies and cupped Regina's core. She gasped when she felt how soaking wet it was… She felt Regina moving her hips, trying to get some friction, so she found Regina's clit and started massaging it. Regina had grasped Emma's ass with her hands and held on tightly, pulling Emma into her.

"Inside. I need you inside me, Emma," Regina almost begged.

Emma slid her index finger along to spread all the moisture and make sure she didn't hurt Regina when she entered her. She didn't really need to worry though, as net index finger slipped in easily and Regina's hips practically shot up, her back arching off the bed. Emma started pumping in and out, as Regina moved her hips, and decided that Regina could do with a second finger. She quickly withdrew her index finger then added her middle finger with it, both pumping in and out as Regina panted and moaned.

"More, Emma," Regina begged.

Emma kept plunging 2 fingers, curling them as she started kissing her way down Regina's body. She finally reached her clit kissing it lightly before she started to lick it and suck on it while she kept on plunging two fingers. 

"Oh fuck!" Regina screamed out, moving her hips wildly and holding onto the duvet with white knuckles. "Don't stop! Don't stop!"

Emma removed her fingers and started plunging her tongue deep into Regina's core and massaging her clit with her the pad of her thumb. She felt how Regina's tunnel began to tighten and her thighs clamped Emma's head tightly, her back arched off the bed even higher as her hands painfully tugged at Emma's hair, trying to pull Emma deeper into her if that was even possible. She let out a "There! Right there! Emmaaaaahhhhh!" before collapsing limply back on the bed. Did she just orgasm twice? Regina covered her eyes with her arm as she panted shallow breaths, but was smiling. "Oh my God." 

Emma kept licking up Regina's juices as it spilt out into Emma's mouth and chin. Regina tasted so sweet - like having honey straight out if it's pot. Once she had licked her clean, she then climbed up to join Regina, laying half on top of her. "You can call me, Emma," she said, and then smiled cheekily down at Regina.

"I think I orgasmed twice in a row," Regina panted. "I've never even… orgasmed twice… in one night before. You must… be a God. Or Goddess." 

"Never!?" Emma asked, shocked. "Well, men just usually take what they want," Emma said as she removed Regina's arm from over her eyes so she could look into them. She caressed Regina's glowing face, brushing back her hair gently. "Well, we aren't finished yet, I plan on giving you plenty more orgasms before the night is through," Emma said as she leaned in to kiss Regina again and again.

"I… I want to make you cum now, Emma." 

"Regina, you could read to me from the telephone directory and I'd cum. Do you have any idea what your voice does to me?" Emma said, thinking she probably won't last long once Regina started touching her. 

"Well, I want to use my tongue in other ways… but first," Regina gently pushed Emma off her so she was on her back, then she climbed on top. She had loved the feeling of rubbing their cores together earlier but wanted to find another way to do that. She pulled Emma up into a sitting position and kissed her hard, wanting to convey how much she loved her, her arms wrapping around Emma's back as Emma held tightly onto Regina's hips and started rocking them. Regina then started kissing Emma's jaw and moved along to her cheek and closer to her ear, sucking her lobe before whispering "I've been dreaming about this for so long, Emma. Wondering. Imagining. It only got worse after we had dinner at Lutèce. I wanted so much more." Regina then went back to kissing Emma. She couldn't help herself. "God, your lips are so soft," she said as she lowered her right hand, feeling braver, and slipped her fingers between Emma's legs. Both women groaned at the wetness she discovered there.

"God, Regina, I...God, that feels so good," Emma moaned as Regina's fingers massaged her clit. She then felt Regina shifting, moving her body down between Emma's legs, 

Looking up at her, Regina's eyes were hungry with her desire. "I have to know how you taste." Regina then looked down at Emma's glistening centre and licked her lips. She had always wondered how women tasted. Must be good if it was a popular activity. She could smell Emma's arousal as she got closer to her core. She could only describe it as intoxicating. With some fumbling, she pushed Emma's thighs apart, wide enough to run the flat of her tongue along her centre, licking up all the moisture. She wasn't sure what she was expecting it to taste like, but it certainly had a lemony flavour which she instantly craved more of. 

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! R-regina! Ar-are you sure th-this is your first time redoing this?" 

Regina just carried on, not wanting to stop as she practically French-kissed Emma's core.

To Emma, Regina's mouth was like magic, probing and teasing as she used her thumbs to separate the drenched folds, allowing her tongue better access. Sure, she fumbled a bit, but that only added to the pressure she was using, which was a bonus in Emma's opinion. She then ran her hands up the backs of Emma's thighs to her bottom, pulling her tighter against her mouth. Regina made various noises of pleasure; it was obvious that she was thoroughly enjoying herself which made Emma very happy and even more turned on. Emma managed to let go of the duvet and laid both of her hands lovingly on the top of Regina's head, trying to keep her moans under control, in case she woke the neighbours. She could feel her orgasm approaching and didn't think she could hold it off much longer. 

"Regina," she gasped. "I think I'm gonna cu-um." 

Regina planted the palm of her left hand against Emma's sweat-slicked tummy, groaning at the feel of her tight abs, and held her there. "Go ahead, Emma, I want to hear you let go." 

Emma swallowed, wanting to try to last a bit longer as Regina increased both the pressure and the pace of her movements. Emma had no time to brace herself for her orgasm. Even though she knew it was coming, it took her by surprise, hitting her full force before she was ready. "'Giiiinnnnnaaaa!" Emma screamed out as her head fell back and her eyes squeezed shut as she clutched at Regina's head with one hand; her other hand had made its way to Regina's hand on her stomach. When Emma finally opened her eyes, she found Regina looking up at her as she smiled somewhat smugly. For the first time that night, Emma caught a little glimpse of the confident Dr Mills she was used to, peeking through the shroud of vulnerable shyness. She smiled back at her, reaching out and pulling Regina up into her arms. "Hi," Emma said as she cuddled Regina.

"Hello there," Regina looked into Emma's beautiful face, her eyes seemed even greener than before. 

"That was… I… don't know what to say except fuck…" 

"I believe I just did. Fuck you, that is," Regina said, quite proud of herself. "And I told you that I was a quick learner." Regina couldn't stop smiling. 

"You sure did, Doc. You sure did." 

Emma then got them under the duvet where they had a few more rounds of lovemaking before exhaustion finally took over and they fell asleep - Regina the big spoon, to Emma's delighted surprise.  
________________________________

When they awoke on Saturday morning, they made love again and they were amazing together, each taking turns to be on top and trying out different positions. Sunlight was streaming through on their naked, sweaty bodies as they moved together in bed. Then they slept until ten, entangled in each other’s arms.

Emma got up first and walked to the kitchen exclaiming aloud, to no one in particular, “I love New York City, I love it. I goddamn love it.” She then switched the coffee machine on and took out ingredients to fix a perfect omelette for Regina Mills.

“What made you love New York?” Regina called from the bedroom.

“Your wicked, sinful body,” Emma yelled back. “Your gorgeous fabulous body and that terrific way it moves. I’ve never been in love in New York City before. In fact, I don't even think I've ever been in love, Doc. Not even Lilly made me feel this way. I feel absolutely great and nothing can make me feel bad today.” Emma was smiling brightly as she moved around the kitchen. 

Regina walked into the kitchen just in Emma's extra-large Bruce Lee t-shirt which made Emma stop in her tracks. She looked so sexy and Emma's jaw literally dropped. Regina just smirked as she walked up to Emma. They kissed passionately as bacon sizzled on the stove.

“You kiss good,” Regina whispered.

“After you taste my perfect omelette, Mills,” Emma said, “you’ll never leave me. You’ll follow me anywhere, begging me to toss beaten eggs into a heated pan.”

“Did you enjoy making love to me, Emma?” she asked coyly.

"Regina, it was so goddamn fantastic, I can't even describe how fantastic was.”

“It was fantastic?” she asked.

“Why is that so hard to believe, Regina?”

“Because you were having sex with me,” she said. “And I’ve always received complaints from Robin. Also, I’m neurotic and I need a lot of reassurance about sex.”

"Well, I can reassure you that Robin is a prick. You are amazing!" Emma said as she placed their coffee and breakfast on the kitchen table.

Just as they finished breakfast and got up to clear the table, Emma's phone rang. She checked the caller ID and then nervously answered the call. She instantly put it on the speakerphone setting so that Regina could listen in on the conversation.

"Emma Swan."

"Good morning, Miss Swan. This is Ivy Belfrey. I am phoning you with the results of the Maternal DNA test that you and Mr Henry Mills took on Tuesday."

Regina instantly looked at Emma, also nervous about the result, both hoping for a positive match.

"That's great. So….?"

"The results show that it is a positive match. You are Henry Mills's biological mother."

"Thanks, Miss Belfrey. That's great news," Emma smiled, relieved. It wasn't really a surprise, but it was good to have the confirmation nonetheless.

"You're welcome. We are open until 1 pm this afternoon if you want to collect the paperwork. Or we are open on Monday morning again. We could also Courier it directly to Dr Mills's address if that is more convenient?" 

Emma looked to Regina who nodded yes for the last option. "Could you please Courier it to Dr Mills?"

"Certainly, Miss Swan. We will do it right away and she should have it by Monday afternoon. Have a good weekend. Goodbye."

"Thanks, you too." Emma hung up and walked to Regina. "So… How are you feeling about this?" Emma asked as she looked at Regina nervously.

Regina could only smile as she nodded, her eyes glistening. She then lunged forward to kiss Emma, before hugging her tightly. "I couldn't be happier."

"Me too," Emma said, hugging Regina right back.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Emma go share their news with the two Henrys in Jersey City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone. I hope you enjoy the next chapter. I wasn’t sure how much the women should share with little Henry, so I hope you like what they did share.

Emma had parked her car on the street just outside her new home in Jersey City, and she and Regina got out. They both went to the trunk, and got out a bag each - Emma also had a big duffel bag over her shoulder - before Emma closed up, locked her car and they both went into the house. They both didn't notice the eyes watching them from a car parked in the distance, a man in the driver's seat was gritting his teeth at the scene he just witnessed. The women seemed really happy together and he hadn't missed the subtle intimate touches they had given as they walked towards the house. His phone rang, pulling him from his angry thoughts.

He looked at the caller id then rolled his eyes as he answered the call.

"What do you want?" he asked, annoyed.

"Sidney, did you do something stupid again?"

"Excuse me? To what are you referring to?"

"I just saw on the news - again - that they are now offering a very handsome reward to anyone who can give them information that will lead to finding their missing daughter!"

"And? What am I supposed to do about it?"

"I'm telling you, man, if the police start asking me questions about that Maria woman, I will-"

"You will shut the hell up! We are partners in this and you will go down with me either way. Now how much have they increased the reward to?"

"Two million dollars! Why the hell did you have to kill a damn heiress? What for? I told you to choose girls without any family connections!"

"I met her in that damn brothel! How the hell did I know she was an heiress if she was working there!?"

"Well, it turns out she was undercover. She worked for the FBI, investigating other murders of girls who worked for the same place you pick up your dates. Wake up, Sidney! You are being careless. Somebody phoned in to the missing persons and they named you as the last person that they saw her with! How the hell would they know your real name, huh?"

"What!? I only ever give them my false ID. They only know me as Michael Mirror at that establishment! Who have you spoken to?"

"Nobody! But on another subject, I was at work earlier and some women were making comments about how uncomfortable you have made them. You need to tone down your creep-factor!"

"What are you talking about? I'm perfectly charming and polite!" 

"According to whom? Your mother? We both know she thinks the sun shines out of your ass! Now tone it down and quot obsessing over that damn shrink that you seem to have fixated on. I'm telling you, she's bad news! Along with her blonde friend! Meet me at our usual tonight and we will plan another way for you to lure the girls in. Besides, I saw Dr Mills first, so stay away from her. Maybe go for her friend. I did some checks on her and she's an orphan. Grew up in foster care and group homes her whole life. She doesn't have anyone to miss her. Her name is Emma Swan. I'll give you all the dirt on her when I see you later. Okay?"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Sidney mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Fine, I'll meet you tonight. Bye." 

Sidney hung up the phone, thinking back to that night he was with Maria. They were at Lutèce and the only other two people who he saw were Dr Mills and that damn blonde. But they hadn't been paying attention to him or his date at all. In fact, they had ignored him all night, not even looking at him as they passed his table on their way out. But Dr Mills did know his name from their Uber rides. Dammit! Looks like he'd have to get rid of them both. Sooner rather than later.   
______________________________

Regina and Emma entered the house and put the bags down on the kitchen counter before going to go look for the boys. Emma had already put her duffel bag down in the entrance hall, as Regina had suggested when they entered the house. The patio doors were open and they could hear them splashing around in the pool, having a grand time. They went out to join them, standing at the poolside. 

"Hey boys!" Regina called out.

Distracted by his mother calling out to them, Henry didn't notice his Abuello aiming at him with the huge nerf water gun, getting him well and truly pelted with the mini rubber bullets and water spray shooting out at high speed, laughing at his grandson shouting "not fair, Abuello!" but laughing all the same.

"Very fair, Nieto! After all those times you got me!" Henry Sr laughed, then turned to the women. "Hello! Care to join us?"

"Looks like fun, but we brought lunch with us, Papi," Regina said, hiking her thumb over her shoulder towards the kitchen. "Maybe after. We have some news to share with you both first, though."

Regina and Emma had decided to just be completely upfront with both Henrys about what happened last night regarding Robin and his affair, and about the DNA test result. As for telling Henry Jr about the positive change in their relationship, they decided to wait a bit. They both knew how they felt about each other, but weren't sure if Henry would understand. 

Once the boys had gotten out of the pool, freshened up and got to the outdoor dining area, an easy alfresco lunch was being served up by the women. They all sat down to eat.

"This all looks marvellous, ladies. Did you stop off at the Delicatessen in town?" Henry Sr asked, clearly starving by the way he was filling his plate with the cold meats, bread, cheese and other assortments of food that Regina and Emma had bought together. Emma had insisted on paying for it all but eventually compromised with Regina by splitting the bill in half. 

"Yeah, it's amazing! I can't wait to explore Jersey City more once I'm settled here. I'll definitely be back at that place!" Emma sounded overly excited which made everyone laugh.

"I had to stop her from buying everything she saw!" Regina chuckled.

"So, what's up? You said you have news?" Henry Jr asked while picking up his chicken salad sandwich, ready to bite into it as soon as he'd spoken.

"Well, Emma got a call this morning from the DNA testing centre… "

"And!?" Henry asked as soon as he swallowed his bite.

Regina waited until everyone had swollen their food before finally speaking. "It was positive just as we suspected," Regina revealed, smiling warmly at first her son and then her dad. 

"Yes!" Henry Jr shouted as he got up to hug Emma first, and then his mom, before sitting down again.

"That's wonderful news," Regina's dad proclaimed as he picked up his beer bottle to clink against Emma and Regina's drinks.

"Yes, we were both thrilled. But this doesn't change anything regarding titles. Regina will always be Hen's mom. But that doesn't change that I love you very much, Hen. I love this whole family. Thanks for making me feel so welcomed." Emma was feeling extra emotional and could feel her throat tighten as Regina took her hand, a loving look on her face. Something the other two didn't miss. "So what is the other news, cariñas?" Henry Sr asked, though he could easily guess. He’d seen the way the two of them looked at each other when they thought they were being subtle about it. 

"Well, some things were said between your father and me last night, Henry, and well…. I think it would be best if we, that is, your father and I-"

"Robin, mom. He's not my dad. He's never earned that title. Are we finally leaving him?" Henry asked. He knew that this was coming. Just in the way his mom was finally standing up to him more often, lately, her confidence was growing and she no longer let herself be Robin's slave. 

"Oh, uh, excuse me? How-" Regina wasn't sure how to respond. Her little boy came across as more mature than she thought possible, yet she needed to curb his attitude a bit. But he wasn't wrong. "Henry, I would still like you to treat Robin with respect. Yes, you are correct that Robin and I will be getting a divorce, but he is still your adoptive father and he will have his rights for visitation, though I will be asking for full custody of you."

"Mom, he has never wanted to spend time with me so I don't think he will fight you about that."

"Well knowing your - knowing Robin, I mean, he will try to fight me. I'm afraid that we will need to also find a new place to live, though. The apartment is in both of our names, but I honestly don't want to stay there. So I'll start looking-

"Oh nonsense, Cariña!" Henry Sr finally piped up. He had been silent this whole time, just listening to his daughter speaking, and secretly elated by this news, but he could not keep quiet on this topic. "This is going to be your home when I eventually die. Just move in here now."

"Papi! Don't talk like that!" Regina gasped, not wanting to even think about her father dying.

"What?" Henry laughed. "Cariña, nobody lives forever. I'm just saying that this house will be yours anyway, so why not just take it now. It's already in your name. As long as you don't mind living with your old man for a while."

"Papi, that's very kind of you, but I can't just move Henry to a new school and away from his friends-"

"What friends, mom? Seriously?"

"Excuse me, young man, what have I told you about interrupting someone? And what about your lessons and my own practice in the city? I don't think my patients will want to come all the way here to see me. And the commute is just too much for me."

"Mom, it's almost the summer holidays. Then after the summer, I could start school here. And I'm sure you could start your own practice here too. People move all the time for different reasons. Why are our reasons to move less important than anyone else’s? Mom, I'm not blind. I've seen the way Robin treats you. Has always treated you. Like a slave. You used to do everything for him. He never cooked or cleaned. I heard him tell you that he works all day and that its the wife's job to do all the housework and cooking. You work too, mom. But then Emma came along and you started standing up for yourself. So please. Please just do this for us. Don't you think we deserve a break?" Henry finally finished, looking at his mom with pleading eyes.

There was silence all around the table as everyone looked at Regina. She honestly didn't know what to say. She had understood what he was saying and it did make sense. More sense than a lot of adults she knew, even in her field of expertise. And she was sorry that Henry had to witness her doing everything for Robin. Like a slave. That is not the kind of role model she wanted to be for him. She wanted to be someone he looked up to. She got up from the table and walked around to her son, who stood up too, and she hugged him.

"Henry, I'm so sorry, I don't want you to see me like that. I was weak and just too scared to fight back. But I should have for your sake." Tears were streaming down her face, ashamed for putting her son through all of the emotional abuse that Robin had subjected them both to. "Trust my ten-year old son to be the adult in our relationship," Regina laughed, ashamed at herself for being so blind.

"Mom, you always stood up for me and protected me from his meanness and jabs. You just never stood up for yourself. I don't understand it, but I don't blame you because I know how confusing adults can be. But I always knew you loved me. Even when I was angry at you, for keeping the fact that I was adopted from me, I still knew you loved me. And I love you, mom. So much. So please love yourself and let's just leave him right now. Let's just stay here with Abuelo. And Emma! We can be a family." Henry's voice was tight and a few tears managed to escape his eyes and dampened his cheeks.

Now everyone's eyes were wet. What started out as a light and happy lunch had turned into an emotional tear-fest.

"Okay, honey. I do have some of my things here, and Emmaa brought her duffel bag to begin moving into the apartment. I guess we could stay over here tonight, but we will need to go get some things from the apartment tomorrow. And you have your concert on Wednesday so you need to practice. But then after the concert, Henry, if you really want to quit the violin, then I won't stop you. Though you are very good, sweetheart."

"Thanks mom, I think I might try something else like the cello. I'd also like to keep on doing karate. Maybe find a dojo here in Jersey?" Henry looked at Emma as he said this.

"I'm sure we can find you something suitable, kid," Emma said happily. "And I'll come with you tomorrow, in case Robin is home and causes you any trouble," Emma said, looking at Regina, who just nodded appreciatively as both she and Henry sat down at their seats again.

They then all went back to their lunch and, afterwards, spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool. Henry Sr had put Emma in one of his guest rooms as the apartment still needed to be cleaned and tidied up. The bed also needed a new mattress which Henry Sr had ordered online, but it hadn't arrived yet. 

As they went about their lives that afternoon, Sidney was making his own plans regarding the two women. First he needed to take care of that pesky blonde, then he would finally have the doctor. His partner was mad if he thought that Sidney would be giving her up for him to have to himself. Regina was just too beautiful to share with anyone. It was just too bad that he'd have to kill her one he'd had his way with her. It was just too risky to keep her alive.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night of Henry's concert finally arrives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warner for scenes of violence coming up.

Regina was already in her seat when Mary Margaret and David joined her and her dad minutes before the concert was to begin. But there was no Emma with them, which she had found odd as she thought Emma had spent the day with David at the New Jersey Sheriff's department. She kissed them both hello before enquiring about Emma.

"She should be here, she left the station before I did. Check your phone, I'm sure she'd leave you a message if something came up. She sure seemed excited to hear Hen play his violin," David replied, nonchalantly.

Regina just rolled her eyes at him because she'd been doing nothing else but check her phone since she got here. Emma was meant to be here thirty minutes ago. It wasn't like her not to leave a message at least. She checked her phone again, and this time saw a message that must have just arrived. No apologies, though. Just a simple message saying "not gonna make it." That's it? At first, Regina was fuming. How could Emma just leave it at that? But no, something was wrong. Emma was excited about tonight. She kept going on and on about it and even Henry was blushing and quite nervous about messing up in front of her. She had apologised for making him feel nervous but had said that she couldn't help her excitement at attending a swanky concert where her son was the main musician playing. Emma would never build his hopes up by promising to be there and then not show up. Regina quickly showed the message to her father, who looked instantly concerned.

"Cariña, I can tell you right now that something isn't right with that message. I spoke to Emma this afternoon and she said she was just on her way home from the station and she seemed very excited. 

Regina bit her bottom lip anxiously, wanting to leave to call Emma, but behind the curtain, she could hear the willful soliloquies of instruments being tuned. She quickly sent a message back saying she hoped everything was okay.

"I'm worried, Papi. Emma really wanted to be here."

"We'll find her once the concert finishes. Don't worry, cariña." 

When the curtain rose to applause, there was Mrs Lucas with her chamber orchestra of young talented musicians. And as usual, she seemed to always butter Robin up by announcing him as the famous violinist and father of Henry. Robin then stood up - luckily he found a new seat away from them - immaculate and stately, acknowledging the crowd and smiling. It was a smile which Regina once used to love, but now she thought of it as smarmy and highly condescending. Mrs Lucas then motioned to the ensemble to rise and take an introductory bow.

Regina watched as a young girl raised a flute to her mouth in a fluid movement. Her lips were full as she took a deep breath and when she exhaled music was born in a happy Borealis of sound. With her fingers, her breath, and her lips, the young girl - who Henry introduced to her as Ava - brought Vivaldi newly-created into the room, and with a passionate, sudden sweep of his arm, Henry answered her in the language of Vivaldi as they shaped together with the amazing blend between the flute and the violin. Henry pulled music from his violin as if he were lifting silk from a dressmaker’s table. His chin rested on the woman-shaped body of his violin and the music seemed to resonate through his muscle and blood. There was a lucid power in his arms and wrists and during his performance, he was part dancer and part athlete. The music blended and coalesced; it asked questions in phrases of honey and milk, then answered them in storm. The chamber group turned the concert hall into a place where butterflies and angels should come to be born. Oh, how Regina wished that Emma were there to watch Henry play. For two hours, she listened to the conversation of well-made instruments. And with Henry, she learned much about the stamina and featureless breadth of a young boy of genius. Every movement he made with his violin was a provision of sacred order. His was a priestcraft of technique and he moved the audience with the rapture of both his ardour and his restraint. She was so proud of her son and when she turned to look at her father, she saw the same proud expression on his face. The same expression was on both David and Mary Margaret's faces as well. And she was certain that if Emma were here, she'd be weeping tears of joy just as Regina herself was. But Emma wasn't here and Regina had to find out why. She had noticed Henry's expression when he saw Emma's empty seat. When he tried to ask where she was, all she could do was shrug helplessly at him. But he didn't let Emma's non-appearance stop him playing better than he had ever played before. Better than Robin had ever played, in Regina's opinion. 

They stood and cheered for Henry and the three other musicians whose skills had provided the contrast to highlight his gift. As she applauded, she looked to the left and watched as Robin was standing and taking a bow, for some reason. She couldn't understand why, but as he stood, she saw the man who had been seated next to him and she paled. It was none other than Neal Cassidy, who was whistling and applauding wildly. She motioned to her father, who also looked at the man, and then she noticed Henry's expression as he too noticed his biological father in the front row, right next to his adoptive father. Without even waiting for the audience to sit down again so that he could do his encore piece, Henry shot off the stage, much to Mrs Lucas's chagrin. Regina and her father also quickly excused themselves from David and MM, and rushed backstage to find Henry, whilst wondering what the hell Neal was doing here, and seated next to Robin, no less.  
___________________________________

An hour earlier.

Emma was excited, to say the least. She had gone back to August's apartment since most of her clothes were still there. She would only officially move into her new apartment in three days. She had been in her room since getting home from the station, trying on a few different dresses, even though Regina had told her to just wear her very sexy black women's tuxedo. But Emma wanted to show Regina her more feminine side so she decided on an emerald green halter neck dress which reached her calves, and a pair of black heels. It was already nearing May, the weather was getting warmer, so she settled for a black shimmering chiffon summer bolero and a matching purse. She wanted to show off that she, too, could look womanly. She couldn't wait to see Regina's reaction to her dress. She'd done her makeup to look nice and smouldering and her lips a bright red, and then had put her hair up In a high ponytail. She checked herself, once more, in the mirror before leaving August's apartment - she looked good, even if she said so herself. 

Emma opened the driver's door before chucking her purse onto the passenger seat and got in. She had just removed her heels and was about to slip into her flat driving shoes - for comfort, as she couldn't drive in heels - when she felt the barrel of a gun against the back of her head. 

"Start the car and drive where I tell you to. Just follow my directions, or I will shoot you."

Emma didn't even need to check her rearview mirror to know who's the voice that belonged to. She started the car and waited for instructions before Sidney told her to head towards the docks near South Street Seaport. She thought it strange that he would direct her towards such a popular touristy area, but then he obviously knew something that she didn't; she mentally kicked herself for not being more alert. She also worried about letting down Henry. She'd promised him, so faithfully, that she'd be there tonight. He and Regina would be so disappointed in her. But she could not do anything stupid while Sidney was pointing that gun at her. She just couldn't risk it, for Henry and Regina's sake.

"You know, Sidney, I'm actually expected to be somewhere in thirty minutes. They are going to wonder where I am."

"Nobody will miss you, you little orphan. Now keep quiet and drive!" Sidney commanded. He had been surprised that she remembered his name.

Emma was shocked that Sidney knew she was an orphan, but she was good at hiding her emotions. "Oh, but they will, and they'll come looking for me. I can guarantee it. My under-sheriff is expecting me." Emma quickly checked her rearview mirror and caught Sidney's surprised look. "That's right, Sidney. I'm the deputy under-sheriff for New Jersey. I'll definitely be missed. You really need to be thorough if you are going to do a background check on someone. And I heard that the woman you were with - that night at Lutèce - was an undercover FBI agent. Did you kill her?"

"Just fucking drive, Swan!" Inside, Sidney was panicking, but now he had to see this through. 

Once they got to a dark and deserted area near a derelict looking cannery, he got out a pair of shackles and gave them to Emma to put on her ankles, keeping the gun on her at all times. He then gave her handcuffs and made her put them on. Emma knew she could easily pick the lock in these, but she still panicked as she hated being restrained. Sidney had to push the passenger seat forward in order to get out first, which he managed to do whilst keeping his gun on Emma, but it was still not convenient. Once out, he went around to open her door before quickly stepping back and telling her to get out. He then asked her for her phone before he directed her towards the cannery, and chained her to a metal pillar. He got her to open her phone and he found Dr Mills in her contacts. Even though she hadn't mentioned her, he knew that's who she was meeting. He quickly sent the good doctor a message and then he smashed her phone against the floor, crushing out with the heel of his boot. 

Dammit, think, Swan! Emma thought, grimacing at her phone's new state. She'd had a tracking app on it, but now they wouldn't find her with her phone in pieces. 

Sidney called somebody on his own phone as he left Emma chained up, keeping an eye on her while he spoke to his obvious accomplice. Emma was surprised to still be alive, she thought Sidney was just trying to get her out the way so that he could get to Regina without her interfering with his plans. She could hear Sidney telling his partner that he had her and then to bring the doctor. No way was she going to let anyone hurt Regina. She managed to sneak a hair pin out of her hair whilst Sidney was listening to whoever was talking to, pacing angrily as he clearly disliked that he'd have to wait a bit. She tried to pick her handcuff lock as Sidney continued to pace. She was going to get out of here alive, Goddammit, and then kick this mother fucker's ass. And then wait for his partner to arrive and kick his ass too. Nobody would ever harm Regina if she could help it. When he got off the phone, he was raging about something his partner had said. He clearly wasn't happy and before she knew it, he had walked up to her and started using Emma as his punching bag. There was no way to defend herself so she just had to let him do his thing. She was used to beatings and, though it still fucking hurt, she had to try to stay strong, to not react or show weakness. This made Sidney angrier as he started punching her harder and threw in some kicks. She was sure that she had a few cracked ribs, her right eye was swollen shut and her lip was split. Eventually, she passed out from a particularly hard blow to her left temple. So much for having a black belt in karate and Judo was her last thought as her world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I borrowed the concert music scene from "The Prince of Tides" novel, by Pat Conroy, to describe the music because I know nothing about classical music and I'm not that good a writer.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some confrontations are made and then Regina heads towards August's apartment to see if Emma is there.

Henry Sr found his grandson in the men's toilets, being sick in one of the stalls. He soothed him as much as he could before calling Regina, who went in, not caring that she got strange looks and some shouts from the men using the urinals. She went straight to the stall that was Henry in, knocking gently on the door of the stall to let him know it was her. 

"Henry, sweetheart? May I come in?" She heard the toilet flush before Henry unlocked the door and opened it, then stepped out only to throw his arms around her waist. His left cheek was pressed against her chest as he sobbed.

"He can't... take me away... from you, can he?" Henry asked through his sobs.

"Oh Henry, no. Nobody is taking you from me, ever. I legally adopted you. The only way he could take you was if I signed papers to give you up, which I will never ever do. You are my son forever, Henry." She held her son tightly to her body, kissing the crown of his head as her own tears streamed down her cheeks. 

"What was he doing here? And why was he with Robin!?" Henry looked up at his mom, but never let her go. 

"I don't know, Henry. I'll try to call Emma, again, to let her know, okay?" 

Before Regina and Henry let go of each other, the door to the men's toilets burst open and Robin burst in looking pissed off. He was followed by Neal and then, thankfully, David. The other men who were there before finished their business and washed their hands before quickly exiting. 

"What the hell do you think you are doing running off the stage like that, Henry? Don't you know how you've made a fool of yourself and me? You still have an encore to perform!" Robin stepped forward and went to grab Henry's arm, but Regina stood in front of her son.

"If you so much as touch him, I will make you sorry you were ever born. Henry has finished playing for tonight, Robin. Now we are going home."

"Excuse me, Regina, but he is my son. I have a right to touch him. Now come, Henry! I will not let you make a fool out of yourself or me."

"No! I will not. You're not my real dad! I hate you!"

"I may not be your real dad, but neither is she," Robin pointed harshly at Regina, "your real mom," Robin said, smugly.

"Yes, she is! DNA doesn't count! Mom loves me, she would do anything for me. You've never done anything for me! Everything you've ever done is for yourself! Just go away, Robin. You're finally free from us. Go away!"

"Why you ungrateful little shit!" Robin stepped forward and grabbed Henry's arm to pull him away from Regina, but just as he tried to pull him, Regina called his name.

"Robin!"

As he looked at her menacingly, Regina used the heel of her hand and thrust it upwards - just as Emma had taught her a few weeks earlier - breaking Robin's nose instantly. He let go of Henry as his hands went up to clutch his nose, blood pouring out between his fingers.

"Aaarrrggghhh! You bitch!" Robin shouted and then went to grab her, but Henry was faster and he did some of the moves that Emma had taught him in karate which left Robin on the floor, winded and clutching his crotch in severe pain. Henry then grabbed his mom's hand and they quickly left the men's toilets, followed closely by the others - except Robin, who was still writhing in pain on the men's toilets floor.

"Wait!" Someone called behind them as they were walking away as fast as they could. "Henry belongs to me, now!"

Regina and Henry both stopped and looked around at Neal, who was fast approaching them. Henry Sr and David were just beside Regina, ready to act if they needed to, and the Carnegie Hall security guards had been called by one of the many people who had been in the audience and were now spectators to the drama unfolding before them.

"Excuse me?" Regina said, her voice as cold as ice. "Just what do you mean by that?" 

"It means," Neal said, as he held up some papers, "that I am this boy's biological father and that he belongs to me. His biological mother gave him up without my consent. If I had known about him, then I would never have given him up. Now hand him over. I have papers here, signed-"

"He can't really take me, can he mom? Even if Robin signed them?" Henry sounded fearful. 

"No, Henry. I would need to sign them too. And he will never get my signature on those papers."

"Oh, I already do. You see?" Neal smirked smugly, holding up the sheet of paper.

Regina paled, wondering just how Robin managed to forge her signature onto those papers. She needed Emma here and suddenly worried that maybe Neal had something to do with her not being here. She did have David here to help her, at least. She also remembered how stupid Neal appeared to be.

"Those are fake, Mr Cassidy. I assure you that forgery is a crime and I'm sure that your parole officer will be wanting to hear about this as soon as possible." Neal paled at the information she seemed to have about him.

"And besides that, I don't want to go with you! I heard all about you and what you did to-" Regina stopped Henry from revealing Emma's name by gently placing a finger on his lips and shaking her head at him, yet smiling at him to make sure he knew she wasn't cross at him.

"From who, kid? Tell me who has been telling you lies. You're my kid, you belong to me. And how the hell do you know my name, Dr Mills?" Neal asked as he stepped closer to them.

"Oh, I had an interesting conversation with Ms Ruby Lucas…" Regina watched as Neal's face paled. "She told me all about your plan and even sent me a picture of you so that we would know what you looked like if you ever tried to carry out your plan. Now I suggest you give me those papers," Regina held out her hand, "and walk away, now. Or my friend here," she motioned to David, who stepped closer looking his stern no-nonsense way, "who is an under-sheriff, will arrest your sorry ass. Now give me those papers, Mr Cassidy." 

When Neal didn't budge, Henry spoke up. "You saw what I can do, Mr Cassidy. I have a black belt in karate, I can easily take you down." Henry spoke with confidence, hoping this idiot would believe his bluff about the black belt.

"Fine! Robin better watch his back. There are people looking for him," Neal said, handing over the papers.

"Before you go, Mr Cassidy, what did you do to Emma?" This guy was dumber than she thought, but surely he didn't do anything to Emma. Regina had to know for sure, though.

"Excuse me? How the hell do you know Emma?"

"Answer the question or I'll charge you with the attempted kidnapping of a minor!" David bellowed.

"I don't know what you are talking about! I've not seen Emma for weeks!"

"Dammit!" Regina really thought he would know where Emma was, but it looked like he was telling the truth on this point. "David, I think Emmas in trouble. She wouldn't just not show up like this." 

"How the hell do you know Emma?" Neal asked.

"That's none of your concern, Mr Cassidy. Now leave or-" 

"Actually," David then silently motioned at some police officers who had turned up unnoticed. David had secretly texted Mulan who had called the NYPD for backup. They had just arrived. "Neal, here, will need to be taken into custody. He has broken his parole conditions."

Neal tried to make a run for the exit, but the police officers were too quick and he was handcuffed before he knew it, being taken away as he swore his revenge. 

"Thank God I don't take after him!" Henry said, rolling his eyes at Neal's stupidity.

"Nurture versus Nature, Nieto," Henry Sr winked at his grandson. "But now what about Emma, cariña? Do you want to go find her? I can take Henry home with me if you want to go see if she's ok."

"I've just tried calling her again, but it's gone straight to her answer phone," David said, concerned. 

"She definitely got to her apartment after leaving the station," MM said as she looked through her phone's photo gallery. "Look, she sent me some pictures of different outfits she was trying on. she finally decided on this one. She wanted to make sure she looked nice for all of you." 

She showed the picture of Emma, in her green dress, to Regina. It took her breath away, the way Emma was smiling shyly and looking so beautiful. A few tears escaped her eyes. 

David looked over Regina's shoulder to see the photo for himself. "Mulan and I will find her! You go to her apartment, Regina. Take MM with you. Call me whether she's there or not there, I'll go back to the station and see if she left any clues behind. I had her looking into a local case and she then saw a photo of a missing woman she recognised. She'd wanted to have a look at her file before she left. I saw she had written down some notes in the margins."

"Who was the missing woman, David?" Regina paled as she asked.

"A woman named Nimue White. She's been missing for a few weeks now. Emma said she thought she may know who's responsible for her disappearance and asked if she could help once she officially starts next week. Regina, what's wrong? Do you know anything?"

"I think so, I mean, I know as much as Emma… Papi, please take Henry home. I'll be there as soon as we find Emma."

"But mom, I want to come with you. Please, I can help," Henry begged.

"No, honey, this may be too dangerous for you. Please just go with Abuelo. I'll call as soon as we find anything out. Goodnight, sweetheart." 

"Come Nieto. Let's go home. Be careful, Regina." Henry kissed his daughter before guiding his grandson away.

"Bye mom, be careful." Henry kissed his mom goodbye, before leaving with his Abuelo.  
____________________________________

After recounting their incidents with Sidney Glass to David, Regina called Daniel Colter to pick her and MM up. David had already left to go to the station before Daniel arrived just outside Carnegie Hall. 

Regina and MM got in and Daniel made his way towards his destination. 

"I trust you had a pleasant evening, ladies?" Daniel asked in his usual sweet way. 

"Yes, thank-you, Mr Colter."

Regina had already explained to MM that Daniel had warned her about Sidney so MM took a chance and asked him if he had seen him lately.

"No, I haven't seen him in a few weeks. Seems like he's laying low."

"What about my friend, Emma. Has she by any chance called you for a ride?"

"Not recently, Dr Mills. Why do you ask? Have you not seen her yourself?"

"No, she was meant to meet us tonight, but she never showed up. That's why we are going to her place. I just want to see if she's ok."

"Ah, I see. Well, I hope she is okay." 

"Yes, we hope so too," Regina replied as she looked miserably out the window. She closed her eyes, feeling a headache coming on.

"I'm sure she'll be there, all fine and safe, Regina." MM placed a hand gently over Regina's hand, trying to reassure her that everything would turn out fine.

"You don't know that, MM," Regina sighed, keeping her eyes closed.

A little while later, traffic seemed to come to a halt.

"Sorry, Dr Mills, it looks like the road has been blocked off by this lorry with a flat tire. We could wait, or I could do a detour?"

"How long do you think it will take?" MM asked.

"It's hard to say, but at least a while as the driver is still waiting for assistance."

"Okay. Yes, please take the detour, Mr Colter." Regina said, not wanting to wait. 

Daniel managed to turn his car, and he made his way in a different direction to Emma's apartment before a call came through on his phone.

"Hello?" Daniel answered the phone politely. He listened to his caller before speaking. "You're kidding, right? Where did you see him?"...." I can't right now, I'm working. He what?"..."Are you sure?"..."And you saw him headed where?"..."okay, thanks, Mike." Daniel signalled to pull over on the roadside, before turning to speak to Dr Mills and her friend. "I've just had a tip from another Uber driver that I usually share clients with. Have you had Mike before?" Daniel asked, looking at Regina.

"I don't think so. Why? Did he see Emma?"

"Well, he saw Sidney a little while ago. Said he seemed agitated and was heading towards South Street when Mike was following him. He lost track of him. He said he thought there was someone in the car with him. It's close by… do you want to check it out? Or we could just go to your friend's place first and I can come back myself."

"How long ago did he see Sidney?" Regina asked, not having a good feeling about this.

"He said it was about two and a half hours or so ago. Apparently, he's been trying to get hold of me all this time. We both suspect Sidney had something to do with that missing woman. Mike and I called that helpline when news of her went missing. She was one of our regular passengers. Real sweet lady."

"Regina, maybe we should just call David to meet us there. I don't think it's a good idea to go without any support." MM suggested, nervously. She had a bad feeling about this whole situation. Including the driver giving her the creeps. "I'll give David a quick call," she said, getting out her phone. "Dammit, I've got no service here. How is that even possible? I've never had that problem."

"Hang on, let me check my phone." Regina dug around in her purse and got her phone out. "Dammit, my battery is really low. And my service here is only at one bar."

"Which phone do you have? I may have a charger you can use." Daniel said, looking in his glove compartment.

"A Samsung Galaxy Note," Regina said, hopeful that Daniel might have one."

"Hmmm, no, I've only got for iPhones or HTC. Sorry, Dr Mills. The service here also looks limited on all our phones. Perhaps if I drive a bit further ahead, we might get better service?" 

"O-okay…" Regina said, looking worriedly at MM. She then decided to try to send a text message to David, but it said the message failed. "Where are we exactly, Mr Colter?" Regina asked as she tried sending David another text. "Dammit, the service here is non-existent. How's your service, MM?"

"Mine is still down. Maybe we should just go to Emmas, Mr Colter. We could try to call David from there."

"Sure thing. I'll just turn left here-"

"Wait! I think I just saw Emma's bug in the distance there, by that old building." Regina pointed ahead. "There, look!" Under a dimly lit lamp post sat Emma's yellow bug, looking very lonely.

Daniel drove towards the car that Regina had pointed out, parked near an old looking warehouse. He parked next to it and got out quietly, looking around. "Looks a bit deserted. Are you sure this is her car, Dr Mills?"

"Yes! I think I would know my friend's car, Mr Colter!" Regina snapped, then looked apologetically at the man. "Sorry, yes. It's Emma's car."

"Don't worry, Dr Mills. Well, I'll go see if she's here. I think I can see some light around the corner there. But first," Daniel went to retrieve something in the trunk of his car, then came back around carrying a baseball bat, "better to be prepared, right?"

"Wait, I'll come with you," Regina said, getting out of the car. She wanted to see Emma desperately and see if Sidney is responsible for bringing her here, then she would make sure he was sorry he was ever born. He had no idea what she was capable of when it came to defending the people she loves.

"I'm coming too," MM whispered, also climbing out.

"No, wait here, MM. I don't want you getting hurt."

"Regina," MM took Regina aside, away from Daniel before the carried on, "if you think I'm going to let u go in there alone, then you don't know me very well. Besides," she whispered, "I'm good at sneaking."

"Fine, but take one of these." Regina handed MM one of the pepper spray cans that Emma had given her. She had put them both in her purse, for some reason. Perhaps in her worry about having to see Robin that night, she anticipated needing both cans. 

"Thanks, umm, are these even legal, Regina? Why do you have two?" MM whispered as she took the can anyway?

"Emma got them for me for self-defence. Just please be careful and use it if you have to. I don't want to see David crying over your grave." Regina whispered back.

"Are you ladies coming," Daniel asked, approaching them.

"Yes, sorry, I was just seeing if my signal was back. Alas, it's not." MM waved her phone.

"Okay, well, I heard someone yelling so I think your friend is there, I'm sure I heard a woman's voice. Are you sure you don't want to just stay here while I go check out the scene?"

"We are coming with you, Mr Colter. We are better in numbers. It's only one of him, and three of us." 

"Okay, then stay behind me and try to keep quiet. The element of surprise will probably help us take him down."

They all walked softly towards the light and could hear a very faint thudding sound and what sounded like someone moaning with pain. As they rounded the corner, they found a steel door that was partially closed and had an outdoor security wall-light next to it. Daniel looked back at the two behind him, putting an index finger to his lips to signal to them to stay quiet, then he turned back and opened the door as carefully as possible. Once they were in, they noticed there were two huge shipping containers on each side of them which created a corridor about thirty feet long. They walked quietly as possible, Daniel holding the baseball bat tightly between his two hands as they got closer to the sounds. Then they got to the end of the corridor and entered a large open area and they could all plainly see a man kicking the shit out of someone. He was so busy violating the body, he never heard them approach him even at just a few yards away.

"Emma!" Regina shouted out, unable to help herself.

Sidney turned around, shocked to see them right there. He was sweating with his exertion and didn't have time to think when Regina got the pepper  
spray out of her bag and sprayed him right in his eyes then ran to Emma who was barely conscious. 

Sidney had instantly closed his eyes shut, the pain almost unbearable to him as he tried to curse Regina, but he couldn't get his words out as he gasped for air. His throat was aching too much and he was struggling to breathe properly. He had fallen to his knees, his hands rubbing furiously at his eyes.

Regina ignored him whilst she was cradling Emma's head in her lap. She never noticed that MM hadn't run to Emma as well until she looked around and noticed that she couldn't see her. Or Mr Colter for that matter. 

"Mary Margaret?" she called out. "Mr Colter?"

She heard a rustling noise and then Daniel appeared moments later. He looked a bit out of breath as he walked towards Regina and Emma. He took a glance at Sidney, who was now in a foetal position just whimpering to himself. Pathetic, he thought to himself.

"Hey, how is she?" Daniel asked, panting a bit.

"She's still alive thank God. Where's Mary Margaret?"

"She ran out to try to call for an ambulance. The signal is crap in here. Hopefully it won't be too long before they get here." 

"Okay," Regina said. "Are you okay? You seem a bit out of breath."

"Yeah, fine. I just ran after her, I thought she was having a panic attack the way she ran out of here. But she's fine. You really did a number on Sidney," Daniel chuckled as he looked back in the man's direction. 

"Yes, thanks to Emma. She got me the pepper spray and made me put it in my purse. Do you have a first aid kit in your car? Emma is in pretty bad shape," Regina asked, feeling a bit uneasy that MM hadn't come back in. 

Before Daniel could reply, Sidney finally managed to sputter out a sentence. "For God's Sake, Dan! Just kill them already!"

Regina looked, wide-eyed, between the two men, unable to comprehend what she'd just heard. And then Daniels phone rang and he casually answered it.

"Yeah?"..."Yep, I've got them. And some woman named Mary Margery or something... Yeah that's it."... "Okay, don't worry, I'll take care of it. Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. You better have my money. In cash." With that, Daniel hung up and then walked up to Sidney who was still whimpering pathetically. He took out a gun, which was hidden under his jacket in a holster, and shot Sidney right in his left temple, killing him instantly. 

Regina yelped, and jumped back slightly with fright, but still holding Emma - whose breath was getting shallow - in her arms.

"Sorry about that," Daniel said as he nodded towards Sidney. "His whimpering and whining was really starting to annoy me. Oh, Robin sends his regards, by the way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duuuunnnnn. Sorry for the cliffhanger, folks.  
> Hope you are still enjoying this story. Please let me know what you think in the comments.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary Margaret finds herself tied up, and Daniel has his own confession which he discloses to Regina...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments and kudos. 😊

Mary Margaret came to, gasping at the pain at the back of her head. The last few moments she remembered were of Regina shouting out Emma's name, then she'd checked her phone as it had started to vibrate since it was in silent mode. She'd seen David's name appear and then after just a sentence spoken to David, she had felt a sharp pain at the back of her head. Now she was inside Mr Colter's car, in the back seat. Her hands were tied behind her back and her ankles were tied together too. Dammit, she thought. She'd had a bad feeling about the driver, and now here she was tied up while Regina and Emma we're in the warehouse with two lunatics. 

MM had to laugh, though, because David had given her thorough training in how to escape any type of bondage from ropes to duct tape to zip ties. She had told him over and over that she didn't need these lessons, but David had been adamant. Mr Colter had chosen rope. She managed to sit herself up and, feeling around with her hands, she was able to identify that he had used a handcuff knot. She briefly wondered where her phone was, but then assumed that that asshole had taken it. She desperately hoped he hadn't switched it off because she had a tracking app on it that hopefully, David could use to find them. She thought back to what David had taught her if she ever found herself in the position of having her hands tied behind her back. She played it over in her mind first and then she moved her hands to the front of her body by bending forward and, bringing her knees up to her chest, she slipped her hands under her bottom and past her feet, and brought them in front of her. Oh my God! It worked! Now to untie the knot. MM was just contemplating her options when she heard a gunshot. She jumped in fright. Surely someone must have heard that loud sound. Damn it, she needed to get out of this car and check on Regina and Emma. MM tried the first thing David taught her to try to escape the restraint: she extended her arms in front of herself while keeping her palms and elbows together. She then started shimmying her hands-free from the rope until she finally managed to get one of her hands free, then she bit on one of the strands to loosen the rope and escaped. She quickly checked the rope trying her ankles together. They were tied a bit better. She remembered the shoelace trick that David had taught her. Luckily she chose her fancy heeled boots with laces. She undid her laces from a boot and threaded it under the rope and started a sawing motion which eventually cut through the rope. Another point for David. She tried to open the car door and, to her surprise, it actually opened. The ass really didn't think that she'd actually manage to escape, did he? She thought, laughing at his stupid arrogance.

Once she made it quietly out, she went to the back of the car and quietly opened the trunk in case he had any tools or weapons. She found various types of weapons and immediately thought that this guy was completely out of his mind and had obviously had this all planned out with the other guy. They had done this together before. She carefully picked up the straight bow and the arrows. MM was a champion at archery, and Mr Colter would be in for a fucking surprise. She smiled smugly as she closed the trunk and headed back to the warehouse as quietly as possible.  
__________________________________

Thirty minutes earlier.

David and Mulan were still driving and when he received a text message from Regina.

"David, we R heading 2wards South Street seaport warehouses. One of the Uber drivers saw Sidney head in that direction and thinks Emma was in his car?? Not sure why. Meet us there. Battery low. R"

"Hey, Mulan, I just got a message from Regina. Pullover and check this out," David instructed his officer. As soon as she had stopped the car, he passed his phone to Mulan, showing her the message. "How well do you know that area?"

"Not well, and I'm not sure they should be going there alone. I thought they were going to Emma's apartment. Call them and tell them to not go there themselves." Mulan frowned, handing the phone back to her boss, trying to think of what warehouses were near that area. She quickly called for backup on her radio while David tried to call his wife. 

"Damn, it went to MM's answerphone. And Regina's battery is low." David quickly replied to Regina as Mulan turned their car and headed towards South Street Seaport. 

"Regina, sit tight. Don't go there on your own, Mulan has just requested backup and we will be there as soon as possible. Please tell MM to switch her phone on. She has a tracking app that we can use to locate you guys."

"Who did you send a message to?" Mulan asked, keeping her eyes on the road. It was after half-past ten, so it was dark and her headlights were casting a warm light on the road ahead of them.

"Regina. MM seems to either have her phone off or her signal isn't good. Dammit, I wish we had just gone with them."

"They'll be fine, boss. Knowing MM, she'll make sure everyone is kept safe."

David just sighed and they travelled in silence for ten minutes before his phone pinged. He quickly checked it and saw he had a notification from the tracking app he shared with MM. He took a look at the map and it showed her exactly where she was, along with instructions on how to get there. He got onto the radio to alert their back up and then called MM again. Her signal was obviously back.

"Hello! David! We found Emma! She's hurt!"

"Mary Margaret! Where the hell are you girls! I got Regina's text and replied, telling you to stay-" David suddenly heard a thump and then the line went dead. "Hello? Mary Margaret! Damn, she got cut off," he said, trying to call her again. It rang a few times, but then it went to her answerphone, telling him to leave a message in her sweet voice. "Someone got to her. I heard a thump and then the phone line was cut. She said they found Emma and she's been hurt. I'm going to call an ambulance." David was shaking as he called for the ambulance and gave them the address of their location. Then he turned to Mulan, "step on it, I'm putting the siren on."  
_______________________________

Regina looked at Daniel as her mind tried to catch up with what he had just said. Did he just say Robin? 

"What the hell is going on here, Mr Colter?" Regina asked, trying to sound as cold and unaffected as possible, whilst on the inside she was petrified.

"Oh, well, isn't it obvious? Sidney and I are working together. Well, we" Daniel looked at Sidney lying dead on the concrete floor, "were working together." 

"How? I mean, what exactly were you both doing? Are you responsible for that woman that's gone missing?"

"Oh no, that was all Sidney. Like I told you before, he has a type. Usually Latinas. Though I think Nimue White was the exception. She was rather beautiful. Plus, I think his regular girl, Jacinda, was off sick that day. I don't discriminate. I love all women."

"Was beautiful? Do you mean that he killed her?"

"Yeah, he sure did. Though I thought he liked to keep them alive for a few days before he killed his women. I think he was particularly angry that night after seeing you and Miss Swan on a date that night. He took it out on poor Nimue."

"Are you saying it's our fault she's dead?" Regina felt terrible knowing Sidney killed someone because of her.

"Oh no, he would have killed her sooner or later. Anyway. Sidney was rather sloppy with his way of going about getting women. I caught him one day about two years ago, dragging a woman out of his van after drugging her. He thought I was going to run to the cops. Little did he know he'd found a kindred spirit. But he was rather new at it. I just helped him out. He got much better, but I still couldn't fix his creep factor."

"What about you, Mr Colter? What do you do this for?" Regina was just trying to keep this but talking rather than doing something to them.

"Me? Well, I'm just your regular psychopath. Or is it sociopath, Dr Mills?" Regina just glared at him. "Anyway, I just enjoy the kill. And my pigs get well fed too. My wife and I run a pig farm, you see. Anyway, I suppose I better get on with this. It's a shame, you know. I really did like you, Dr Mills. I really wanted to have more time with you, to make love to you as I watch the life drain out of your beautiful eyes." Regina shivered in revulsion at the thought of this man touching her in any way. "Alas, I think that your friend told someone about this place so I need to make this quick." Daniel pointed the gun towards Regina.

"Wait! Please, Daniel, I have a son. We," she looked down at Emma who was still in her arms, her left eye slightly opened now and her breathing still shallow. "We have a son. And wh-what does Robin have to do with this? How do you know him?"

"Ah, well, I happened to meet him in a bar a few months ago, before he left on his tour. I recognised him as your husband since I had given you both a ride home from a party a few weeks before. Remember? Anyway, I was in a booth with Sidney and we overheard him talking to someone, on the phone, about your son. He was in the booth next to us. He was promising this person that you would sign the papers or he would just forge your signature. Once he was finished with the call, Sidney and I got up and joined him. He was affronted, at first, that we dared to invade his privacy. He thought we were crazy fans of his! Can you believe that?" Daniel laughed at this. "Anyway, we told him we could make you disappear for a price. But it just took a little longer than expected. Then he offered us even more money to get rid of Miss Swan here. Now here we are. I'm quite surprised she's still alive actually. I thought Sidney would have killed her by now. He obviously had issues with anger that he was taking out on her, first. Oh well, I guess that's just one more kill for me," Daniel smiled, still pointing his gun at Regina.

"What about my friend, Mary Margaret? Did," Regina felt sick thinking about it now, "did you kill her?" Regina's tears spilled down her face at the thought.

"Nah, just knocked her out. She's in the car, tied up. I'll keep her for later. Now, where was I? Oh yes, okay so I'll kill you first and then Miss Swan, okay. That way you don't have to see your lover die. What, you think I didn't know about you two?" 

Regina shut her eyes tightly as Daniel went to squeeze the trigger, thinking about her son and father, about how disappointed she was in herself for breaking her promise to them to look after herself. Looking after Emma. 

Then she heard a howl of sheer agony coming from the man in front of her and she chanced opening her eyes. Mr Colter was clutching at his right shoulder in pain - there was an arrow impaling it. And then she saw Mary Margaret running towards him with the baseball bat he had discarded earlier. She started hitting him fiercely with it until he lay on the ground unconscious.

"Mary Margaret! Is he dead?"

"No, I want him alive so that he can rot in jail. Sorry I'm late. Was kinda tied up." MM rushed to her friends. "Emma, sweetheart, are you ok?"

"Mmmmmm" Emma moaned, unable to speak. Everything hurt and she thought her jaw was cracked. 

"Shhh, sweetheart, I'll try to call an ambulance. MM, can you get my purse, please? It is over there by Sidney's body."

"Oh God, he's dead!" MM shouted as she got the purse and noticed the hole in the man's head. 

"Yeah, Mr Colter here, got sick of his whining. Plus, I don't think he wanted to share the money he was getting from Robin to make me and Emma disappear."

"R-robin!?" MM asked, wide-eyed, giving the purse to Regina, who just nodded. "I always hated that bastard," MM said through a growl.

"J-j-join th-th-the c-c-c-club." Emma managed through gritted teeth. She was shivering now and felt warm to the touch.

"Emma, darling, don't talk. Just keep your strength." Regina said as she took out her phone. 

She noticed a couple of messages from David and then, just as she tapped on the keypad to call an ambulance, uniformed police officers burst into the warehouse. Their guns were drawn ready to shoot any offenders as they surveyed the area, and then someone made a signal to a police officer near the shipping containers. "Tell the paramedics it's safe to enter and there's one woman down. And two men possibly perished."

"Just one dead, the other was beaten and knocked out." Mary Margaret corrected him. 

The paramedics came in and took over Emma, put a neck brace on her then got her onto a stretcher. Once they had her in the ambulance, they got her on some oxygen. Regina didn't leave her side, getting into the ambulance with her and staying as close as possible. 

Police officers were taking a statement from MM, when she heard tyres screeching and a police cruiser came to a sudden stop, then David rushed towards his wife just as she ran towards her husband. They collided in a hug, both holding each other as if their lives depended upon it, tears streaming down their faces.

"Thank God you're okay!" David practically sobbed into MM's neck.

"Thanks to you," MM sobbed back.

"What do you mean?" David pulled back to look at his wife.

"All those lessons you gave me in escaping restraints like ropes etc.? It certainly came in handy today. I'll tell you all about it later. Emma's in the ambulance, she's pretty banged up." MM said, motioning at the vehicle nearby. 

"And Regina?" 

"She's keeping Emma company. Won't leave her side for anything. You owe me fifty bucks, by the way.," MM said, finally smiling.

"Is that so, Mrs Nolan?" David smiled as they walked towards the ambulance. "Well, I'm very happy to lose this bet." They got to the back of the ambulance which still had its doors open and saw Regina caressing Emma's cheek lovingly, whispering something to her. "Ahem," David cleared his throat, getting Regina's attention.

"David! Thank God you got my message," Regina said but stayed by Emma. "I wasn't sure if you would get it. My battery was just about dying and my signal was poor."

"Yeah, I got it all right. Are you both okay?"

"Emma's going to need to go to a hospital, she's taken one hell of a beating from Sidney. Your wife here saved our lives, you know? Shot the other guy with an arrow just as he was about to shoot me dead." Regina smiled warmly at MM.

"There was another guy?! Where is he? Is he dead?" David asked in quick succession.

"It was our Uber driver, Daniel Colter. Seems he and Sidney we're working together. And it seems there's a third person involved. Robin."

"What!?" David shouted, taken aback.

"Seems that Robin was going to pay Daniel and Sidney to make Emma and I disappear. I don't know all the details, but you can get all the information from Mr Colter once he recovers. He shot Sidney dead, though, but did tell me that Sidney killed Nimue White. Daniel suggested that she was fed to his pigs on the farm he lives on with his wife. That's all I know. 

"Excuse me, ma'am," a paramedic interrupted them, "we're ready to go. Will you be travelling with us?" he asked Regina.

"Yes, thank you. Which hospital are you taking us to?"

"We are taking Miss Swan to NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, ma'am."

"Thank you," she smiled kindly at the woman then turned to her friends. "Meet you guys there? MM, will you need to get your head checked out?"

"Hey, what are you trying to say, Dr Mills!?" MM asked jokingly. "Yes, we will meet you girls there, Regina."

They waved goodbye as a paramedic closed the ambulance, then got in and drove off. Just then, Sidney's body was carried out in a body bag and Daniel seemed to have regained consciousness and was being carried out on a stretcher to another ambulance that had arrived. Mulan was dealing with him, handcuffing his left wrist to the stretcher for security reasons. He wasn't saying anything, choosing to exercise his Miranda rights. Mulan then drove the Nolans to the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please leave comments. 😊


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more of a filler. I don't want to keep you waiting to long. Just a heads up, I think I'm nearing the end of this fic, with only a handful of chapters to go.

Emma was rushed for an ultrasound as soon as she got to the ER. She was complaining of upper stomach pain where Sidney had repeatedly kicked her, so the doctor wanted to make sure there was no internal damage. It revealed a ruptured spleen which needed to be removed. Her jaw was also checked and it had luckily only been dislocated rather than fractured or broken. Her cheekbone needed to be repaired by a plastic surgeon and her right eye needed surgery as well. 

Regina could only stay with her until they got to the operating room, and then was told to wait in the waiting room with MM and David. 

"I'll be waiting right here for you, darling," Regina told a very scared looking Emma. "I'll see you soon." She bent down to kiss Emma's forehead, and then Emma was taken into the OR.

MM had the back of her head checked and was determined to be very lucky to have only a mild concussion. She would just need to take it easy and David would need to keep an eye on her. She was also given some pain killers for her headache. 

David had wanted to go straight to Robin and stick him in a jail cell, but Regina told him to just leave it for tonight because she had a plan. She knew it was late, but she used David's phone to first call her dad to let him know where they were. She knew he would be up worrying about her and Emma. She then sent a text message to Mallory asking if she could call her. Since it was close to midnight, she thought Mallory might be asleep. Mallory called her back, instantly, and Regina gave her a summary of what had gone down that night. 

She asked Mallory to draft divorce papers and to arrange a meeting. She also asked Mallory to be the one to call Robin to attend the meeting, telling her to make something up about Neal's papers to get Henry back, and that the papers needed one more signature from Robin and that Mallory needed to be there to witness it. Mallory wished Emma a speedy recovery and said she would meet them at the hospital, in the morning, to talk things over before arranging the meeting. She also had some news that had come in this evening about Neal. She'd tried to call Regina earlier, but couldn't get through. Now she knew why. 

"Why don't you two go home," Regina sighed, after ending her call to Mallory and giving David his phone back. "I've arranged for Emma to have a private room with a cot for me to sleep on. I'm sure you two must be exhausted," she said, looking at MM and David. Regina was exhausted and her eyes kept on closing, but she was determined to stay away for Emma. 

"Well, I'm not supposed to fall asleep because of my concussion. Why don't I keep you company? David can go home and come back in the morning. Right, sweetie?" MM asked as she looked at David.

"Nah, I'll stay. Don't really want to leave you two right now. I can nap here if I get tired."

"Okay, honey,"MM said to David before turning back to her friends. "Regina, why don't you lay down here and nap? Put your head on my lap, honey. You're dead on your feet. I will wake you up as soon as Emma comes out of surgery."

"I'm not sure I could even sleep," Regina said as MM coaxed her into a lying down position. Regina's body was stretched over a couple of the waiting room's chairs as she rested her head on MM's lap, facing her tummy. MM gently brushed her fingers through Regina's hair and within seconds, she felt Regina relax and knew she was sound asleep.  
______________________________________

It was a couple of hours later when Regin was woken up. MM had gently shaken her awake when the surgeon, Dr French, had come out to tell them that Emma pulled through the surgery well and was in the recovery room. 

The surgeon then sat down as she told them more about the surgery. "As you know, we've had to remove her spleen, which means that her immune system is considered low and she will be more prone to getting sick. Her jaw has been put back in place and her cheekbone was lifted. We've had to put a metal pin in to keep it in place. Her eye socket was fractured and we had to repair some vessels. We think her vision might be a bit shaky, but we won't know until the swelling goes down completely. We will then do some more testing and she may require more surgery on that eye. She'll be in recovery for about an hour. There's really not much you can do here, so go home and get some rest. You can come back in the morning." The doctor stood up to leave when Regina replied.

"I've arranged for Emma to have a private room and a cot in it for me, Dr French," Regina blurted out as she stood up. 

"Then, by all means, you may go there now and wait for her. I'll be on call until 7 this morning. I'll check on Miss Swan before my shift ends so I'll see you then. Goodnight," the surgeon said kindly, then left them.

"We will be back in the morning, then, Regina. I'll make sure to cancel all your appointments before I come over," MM said as she hugged Regina goodbye. 

"God, I hadn't even thought about that. Thank you, MM. For everything," Regina hugged her back tightly as tears escaped her eyes. Then David joined them in a group hug.

After they left, Regina was shown to Emma's room and she only waited about half an hour before Emma was wheeled in. She was hooked to an IV drip which was administering her pain killers and though awake, she was very groggy. Regina was at her side as soon as Emma was transferred to her bed.

"'Gina, you're still heeeere,'' Emma said in a dopey voice, trying to smile but her jaw was still numb. She had a supportive bandage that went around her head and jaw. And an eye patch covering her right eye, which she went to touch, but the nurse stopped her. "Do I look like a pirate?" She asked, seriously.

"A little bit, darling," Regina smiled warmly at her as she took Emma's left hand in both of hers. "A very cute pirate. How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck. I'm sorry. Are you mad at me? Is Henry mad that I missed his concert?" Emma suddenly had tears streaming down her left cheek and Regina was quick to wipe them away with her thumb and caressing her cheek with the back of her fingers.

"Oh no, darling, of course not. I'm so sorry, Emma. If it wasn't for me, Sidney would never have done this to you." Regina's own tears were falling, now. 

"Rather me than you, 'Gina. I'd never let him hurt you…" Emma said, closing her left eye as her speech trailed off.

Regina could see the drugs were working and Emma was now sleeping. She kissed Emma's forehead and then took her shoes off before slipping onto the cot and falling asleep too.  
______________________________

Regina was awoken when a nurse and Dr French entered Emma's room. Sunlight was streaming into the room and Emma was just waking up too, and grumbling about the pain. 

"Hello, Miss Swan. I'm Dr French. I'm one of the surgeons who operated on you last night. How are you this morning?"

"It hurts everywhere."

"Nurse Kingsleigh is just going to change your IV, I'm going to remove your eye patch and check the swelling. Then I'll remove the dressing on your cheekbone and your upper abdomen to check how both are doing. Nurse Kingsleigh will redress them once I've cleaned them. Is that alright, Miss Swan?"

"Yeah."

"Okay," Dr French said, "I'm going to remove your eye patch now." Dr French moved forward and gently tugged at the corner of the tape and pulled it off gently. "The swelling has gone down slightly, and you will have a black eye for at least a fortnight. Nurse Kingsley will bring in a chilled tea bag to put over it. The caffeine helps with the swelling. You need to keep your head elevated to decrease fluid retention. I'm just going to clean it with some saline solution." Dr French said as she prepared everything and started cleaning Emma's eye with cotton wool that had been dipped in a bowl of the solution. "Is that okay? Does it hurt?"

"It's ok." 

"That's good. So, what's your job, Miss Swan?"

"I'm the new deputy under-sheriff for New Jersey. Just starting on Monday. Well, I'm meant to start."

"I see. Well, I'm going to book you off for two weeks and then I'm afraid it will have to be desk duty for at least two months, deputy. You will need to fully recover before doing anything else." 

Emma just sighed and then noticed Regina for the first time since she woke up. "Regina! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. Did you stay all night?" Emma asked, noticing the cot.

"Yes, of course. I just woke up a little while ago, but didn't want to disturb you or Dr French." Regina got up off the cot and walked up to Emma, taking her outstretched hand. 

"I'm sorry, I look a mess. Are you sure you still want to be my girlfriend?"

Regina blushed, looking at Dr French before looking back at Emma. "Of course. Now listen to your doctor, Miss Swan."

"Yes, Dr Mills," Emma said, trying to roll her left eye. Regina just grinned at her.

"Oh, I didn't realise we had another doctor with us," Dr French said, smiling at Regina as she removed the dressing on Emma's cheekbone. It had dissolvable stitches on it and it looked quite pink, but she seemed happy with it so just cleaned it and put some cream on it. Then she lifted Emma's gown. She removed the surgical dressing from her abdomen, then pressed the area gently. Emma winced. "It looks fine. No swelling. I'll just clean this and Nurse Kingsleigh will redress it."

"Okay. Oh, Dr Mills is the best Psychiatrist in New York," Emma said, proudly.

"Oh, I see. Is that how you two met?" Dr French asked, smiling. 

Regina, eyes widened dramatically, understanding exactly what the surgeon was implying. "Oh! No! No, Emma wasn't my patient. I was treating her brother and-" 

"Relax, Dr Mills. I married one of my patients. Life happens, right? You can't choose who you fall In love with. Anyway, I'm afraid you girls will have to wait at least six weeks before you get back to any bedroom activities." 

"Six weeks!? Damn!" Emma exclaimed, whining. 

Regina just blushed. 

Dr French smiled."Well, you've just had your spleen removed, deputy. What did you expect? I will keep you here another two nights and then I will see how you are doing. Sorry to ask this, but do you two live together? I only ask because Emma will need help with pretty much everything. Including getting to the toilet.," Dr French said, quite seriously now, as Nurse Kingsleigh took over to redress Emma's surgical wound and placed a chilled tea bag on her right eye.

"Yes, she's staying with me, Dr French," Regina replied. 

"Good, then I can't see why you need to stay longer than a couple more nights, deputy. Unless you get an infection. But I don't think you will. I'm off now, but I'll be back tomorrow night at 7 pm. Goodbye for now, ladies, and rest as much as you can." Dr French said, looking at Emma, then smiled warmly at them before leaving.

As soon as she left, the nurse finished up redressing Emma's surgical wound on her abdomen and then told her breakfast would be served soon, giving Emma a menu. She asked Regina if she was also wanting breakfast which she replied that she would. 

"Okay, I'll be back in five minutes for your order." The nurse left, leaving them alone at last.

"Can I kiss you on your cheek?" Emma asked Regina shyly.

Regina, who was still holding Emma's left hand, smiled warmly at her. She moved closer to sit on the left side of the bed, facing Emma and presenting her left cheek to Emma, who brushed her lips gently against Regina's soft skin. Regina then returned the kiss on Emma's left cheek. 

"Thank God we found you in time, Emma. I don't know what Henry and I would have done without you. Or August, for that matter. We need you, darling. I need you."

"I just kept thinking about you and Henry. That's what kept me alive, you know. I think I would have given up if I didn't have you both to live for. Seriously, Regina. I'm sorry to sound so sappy. I just have never been so happy in my life until I met you and your family. I've never felt so...so at home."

"You are home, darling. I'll get the rest of your things this weekend and take them to my dad's. You will stay in the main house in the guest room until you recover…."

"And then?"

The nurse chose that moment to come in and take their orders. Regina took a quick glance at the menu and then ordered scrambled eggs on toast for each of them, Emma ordered water for herself and Regina ordered a coffee.

"To answer your question, we shall see what happens. Besides, we haven't told Henry about us yet. Oh, Mallory is coming over this morning and then we are coming up with a plan for Robin. I've asked her to draw up divorce papers. I'm asking for full custody of Henry. I won't be at the meeting at first. I want Robin to be surprised to see me since he thinks Daniel has succeeded in making us disappear. Oh, Emma, I forgot to tell you! Neal was at Henry's concert last night."

"What the fuck!? What happened?" Emma asked nervously.

Regina went on to tell her everything that had happened the previous night and Emma could only shake her head at both Neal and Robin. She was so proud of Regina for using her defence technique on Robin and so proud of Henry for defending his mom. 

"God, what dumb asses! Clever thinking on using Ruby's name on Neal. So, is Mallory coming here?" Emma asked just as their breakfast was brought in to them.

"Yes, actually, as soon as breakfast is done, remind me to go phone Mary Margaret. My phone is dead, so I need a charger-"

"Sorry to cut in, but there's a phone charging locker on each floor of the hospital so you can use those. On this floor, it's just by the nurses' station," said the young candy striper who had brought in their food.

"Thank you, dear," Regina replied, smiling at the young girl who looked to be a senior at high school.

"You're welcome, ma'am." The candy striper finished arranging their food and then left them to eat in private.

Regina helped Emma to sit up a bit better, using the bed's remote control to elevate Emma into a better position for eating. Her new dose of painkillers was taking effect so she was able to sit up more, but Regina could see that they were also making Emma sleepy.

"Once breakfast is done, I'll go charge my phone and make some calls. You look like you are ready for another sleep, Emma."

"Yeah, I'm starting to feel a bit woozy now. Will you be back?" Emma asked, before digging into her breakfast.

"Of course. I just want to make sure Mallory knows where to find me. Plus, I need to go to the hospital shop to buy some toiletries for us. My dad and Henry will be by later during this afternoon's visiting hours, so he will bring me a change of clothes. However, I don't particularly want him going through my delicates!" Regina chuckled.

"Ha! Why, do you have naughty things hidden in there, Dr Mills? How scandalous!"

"Maybe," Regina smirked and Emma flushed. "Anyway, I'll get you some underwear too. So you're an eight, right?"

"How the hell do you know my panty size? Were you going through my delicates, Dr Mills?" 

"Well, I had to borrow a pair of panties last weekend. My ones were completely ruined."

"That is so hot!" Emma said, gaping at Regina before taking a sip of her water.

Once breakfast was done, Regina helped Emma settle back down before kissing her goodbye. Emma was asleep before Regina left her room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up, Regina meets up with Mallory and a bit more action takes place.


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin is called to Mallory's law firm for a meeting,

Regina had met up with Mallory in the hospital cafeteria and they had gone over everything and arranged for the meeting to take place that afternoon. Regina had also given her statement to some police officers that had come by the hospital to question her and Emma. She told them that they would need to wait for Emma's statement since she was sleeping. She then went to get the toiletries that she needed for herself and Emma, as well as new underwear that she desperately needed. And some smart-looking clothes for the meeting that afternoon. She hadn't felt like leaving the hospital (or Emma) until she really needed to. She had also spoken to her dad and Henry briefly, telling them a bit about Emma's condition and that she'd see them later.  
____________________________

Regina fidgeted nervously while she waited in a separate room, at Mallory's law firm building, with David. They didn't speak, just waited. Mallory waited for Robin to show up for their meeting in a conference room. Robin had agreed to come to Mallory's firm on Madison Avenue after Mallory made up some story about papers that she needed Robin to sign. There was a camcorder hidden in the room, recording their meeting, that Regina could watch on a separate screen in the room she was in. 

Eventually, about twenty minutes late, Robin sauntered into the room that Mallory had been waiting for him in. 

Mallory stood up as he approached the table. "You're late, Mr Locksley."

"Ah well, I had things to take care of. So what are the papers that need my signature, Mallory?"

"There's a couple, actually. Please have a seat, and we can get things started." Mallory sat back down as she pretended to look through the stack of papers on the table. She knew the papers she needed were right at the bottom of the pile.

Robin sat down impatiently. "Get what started?"

"Well, your divorce from Regina, for starters," she said as she pushed the papers towards Robin.

"Excuse me!?" Robin said, grabbing the papers. " I never filed for a divorce. What is the meaning of this!?" 

"Oh, Regina filed for divorce on the grounds of adultery. She said you've been having an affair for the past two years and it's time you both just divorced so you both can just get on with your lives. All you need to do is read the stipulations and then sign here." Mallory pointed at where Robin needed to sign.

"As you can see, Regina doesn't want anything from you. She will just take the things she brought into the marriage and whatever she paid for, naturally. And Henry. She wants full custody."

"Ah well, where is she then? You see, the only way Regina will get Henry is if she is actually around to have him. I heard that she's disappeared. I mean shouldn't she be here to witness me signing these papers? It is she who is filing for divorce."

"Oh, she trusted me enough to be the witness, Mr Locksley. So what do you say? Sign these now and you will walk away from here a single man, free of responsibility for a wife and son. Doesn't that sound good? And what do you mean she's disappeared? Did you not see her last night?"

"Yes, I did. Anyway, there's one problem. Henry no longer belongs to either of us," Robin said as he signed the papers. "And even though I'm signing these papers, she is no longer Henry's legal guardian," Robin said as he pushed the signed papers back.

"Is that so? And how is that possible? Who did you sign Henry away to, Mr Locksley?"

"To his biological father. He had never consented to Henry's adoption in the first place and he wanted his son back. Henry and I never bonded so I thought he would be better off with his real father."

"And what about Regina? She is his mother. I know how much she loves him, Mr Locksley. She's asking for full custody, after all, so I doubt she is willing to give him up to someone claiming to be Henry's biological father.

"Yes, well, I was just as surprised as you are. But when I was presented with the papers by the man, it already had her signature on them."

"You mean these papers?" Mallory asked as she pushed a copy of the papers, that Neal had given up to Regina the previous evening, towards Robin.

"Where did you get these?" Robin asked, clearly shocked that his lawyer had them.

"Ah, Mr Cassidy gave them to Regina last night, when he tried to take Henry from her. He really is a rather stupid man. Anyway, it seems that Mr Cassidy forged her signature. He was arrested last night. Did you not know that, Mr Locksley?"

Robin paled before answering. "Well, what does that have to do with me? I thought that was Regina's signature. It looked authentic. So I signed them too." 

Robin sounded rather smug and as Regina watched, she felt her tears stream down her cheeks. How could she have married such a man?

"Well, Mr Locksley, could you tell me how Mr Cassidy was able to forge your now ex-wife's signature? Where would he have gotten a previous signature of hers to copy it?"

"How the hell should I know! And why the hell are you interrogating me? You are my lawyer. I pay you to be on my side," Robin sneered.

"Well, I was hired as your family lawyer. That included Regina. And Henry for that matter. In any case, did you know that Mr Neal Cassidy was in federal prison for the past 9 years? That he only got out recently and was on probation? If he does anything to violate his parole conditions, he would be back in prison to see out the rest of his sentence. He was meant to stay in Florida state for four years. So not only did he break one of his probation conditions but he also forged someone's signature to illegally get custody of a minor. Do you know what got him into a federal prison?"

"I don't know and I don't care! Now if it's okay with you, I'm going to go start my new life with my new family. Unlike Regina, Marion is a real woman who can reproduce. We are expecting our first child in November. I can now finally tell her that I'm all hers." Robin said in a very smug tone.

"Oh, congratulations Mr Locksley. But I just have a couple of things to tell you before you take your leave. If you could please sit back down?" 

"Get on with it. I have places to be!" Robin said, sitting back down begrudgingly.

"Firstly, Neil Cassidy told the police officers that you provided him with Regina's signature. That you gave him some papers with Regina's signature and that he copied it. He seemed quite proud of himself for doing such a good job. I mean just looking at it, it does look authentic." Mallory said, gesturing between Regina's signature on the divorce papers and the one that Neal forged on the fake papers granting him custody of Henry. "Do you know what that means, Mr Locksley?" Robin stayed deathly quiet. "It means that you are an accomplice to this forgery. Which is a federal offence, by the way. That's your career down the tubes, in layman's terms."

"That son of a bitch is lying!" Robin stood up, enraged.

"I see. Well, what about Mr Daniel Colter? Was he lying, too, when he told the police officers that you hired him to make his wife disappear? And Miss Emma Swan? You called him to make her disappear as well."

"I did no such thing! You are fired, Ms Vincent! I will not be disrespected by you!" Robin got up to leave and that's when Regina walked in with David right behind her. Robin looked like he had just seen a ghost."R-Regina!" Robin then looked back at Mallory, then back to Regina.

"Sorry I'm late," Regina said, looking Robin in the eye. "What's the matter, Robin? You look a bit pale. Are you feeling unwell?" Regina asked, sweetly. "Were you not expecting to see me? This meeting does concern both of us, does it not? And Henry too, but I didn't want his heartbroken at the thought of you just throwing him out like Sunday's newspaper. Did our son mean that little to you?"

"He's not my son. He never was. And he's not yours either! He will never be."

"Yes, he is. Just because we don't share the same DNA doesn't make him less of my son."

"Well good riddance to you both. Henry was always a weak mama's boy. Now if you will excuse me, I have a family to return to." Robin made to move past Regina but David blocked his way. "Get out of my way, David, or you will be sorry."

"No. I don't think I will. Now go and sit down because Mallory isn't finished with you." David stood tall and strong, towering over Robin.

"I'll just stand right here. I'll not be staying long."

"Sit. Down. Robin." Regina said through gritted teeth and David looked at Robin sternly.

"Fine, but this is the last thing I'm listening to. Get on with it, then!" 

"I got this very interesting recording from the police officers who arrested Mr Colte," Mallory said. "You see, Mr Colter was shot last night, with an arrow. He's in the hospital now and being charged with the attempted murder of both Miss Emma Swan, Dr Regina Mills and Mary Margaret Nolan. They were very lucky that their friend, Mary Margaret, is a champion archer. And that she was able to escape her restraints and saved them just as Mr Colter was about to put a bullet in their heads. Just like he did to his partner, Sidney Glass. Or should I say Michael Mirror, since that was his real name?"

"So? What does that have to do with me? As you can see, Regina is very much alive."

"Well, the police confiscated all his personal effects. Including his phone. So when the police asked Dr Mills for her statement, this morning, she mentioned the phone call that Daniel had with you in her presence." Mallory stopped here to gage Robin's reaction. He paled further but remained quiet.

"After he finished on the phone with you, Mr Colter told me - and I quote - 'Oh, Robin sends his regards, by the way.'" Regina said flatly. She just wanted to get out of the room now. The sight of Robin was making her sick.

"That doesn't prove anything! He could have been bluffing! Who is this guy, anyway? It's her word against mine." Robin stood up again, pointing at Regina, but then sat back down when David looked like he wanted to punch him.

"Oh, well that wouldn't prove anything in a courtroom. But when the police went to Mr Colter's room to question him, he vouched for Dr Mills. In fact, he told the police that he has an app on his iPhone which automatically records all his phone calls. Just in case he ever finally got for his serial killings." Robin paled even more if that was even possible. "Yes, Mr Colter is a serial killer. Responsible for at least twelve women who have gone missing in the last three years. Anyway, I digress. I think you know what I'm about to reveal, though. Right?" Mallory asked, looking quite serious. Robin remained silent. "Shall I playback the recording of your phone call with Mr Colter from last night then?" No answer from Robin, just heavy breathing. "Very well then, Mr Locksley," Mallory said, pressing the play button on the digital device she was holding.

Playback

"Yeah?"

"It's Robin, look, are you ever actually going to go through with this!?"

"Yep, I've got them. And some woman named Mary Margery or something…"

"Mary Margaret? Damn, I suppose you better kill her too."

"Yeah that's it."

"I want you to kill Regina tonight, Mr Colter! And that bitch, Emma Swan. Just make them disappear! Tonight! Or our deal is off and I'll find someone else to do it."

"Okay, don't worry, I'll take care of it."

"And I'd like you to make them suffer. Especially Miss Swan."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. You better have my money. In cash." 

"You better bring proof! I want to see photos of them dead. Oh, and just before you kill Regina, give her my regards." 

End of recording.


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina goes back to Emmas hospital room to find both Henrys there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos and comments on. My story. Really appreciate it all.

By the time Regina had made it back to the hospital, her dad and Henry we're already there. She dreaded telling Henry about everything that had transpired with Robin. Regina shuddered thinking back on Robin's final words to her.

_After they all heard the recording, Robin quickly stood up. David had motioned for other police officers, who had been waiting outside the room, to enter. They quickly apprehended Robin, cuffing his hands behind his back._

_"You will be sorry you ever crossed me, Regina!" Robin spat at his ex-wife._

_"I'm only sorry I ever met you, you miserable bastard. You are an idiot, Robin. All you needed to do was ask me for a divorce. I would have given it to you gladly. But now, not only have you ruined your own life, but also that of your unborn child's. He or she is going to miss out on having a father. Just like Henry did." Regina just shook her head as the police led Robin out of the room._

As she stood outside Emma's room, she could see them all chatting. They hadn't seen her yet, and Henry was chatting excitedly. She hated that she had to go in there and tell him what had happened with Robin. He was the only father Henry ever knew and, as such, he did love him. More than what Robin deserved.

"Mom!" Henry finally saw her standing by the door. Regina walked in and closed the door behind her as he got up from his chair and ran to hug Regina.

"Henry, my little prince!" Regina caught him in her arms and they squeezed each other tightly. "I'm fine, my sweetheart," Regina soothed him as she realised he was sobbing into her chest. She kissed the crown of his head as she rubbed his back, then she pulled back a bit as she cupped his face with her hands. Henry's eyes were puffy and his lips were wobbling as she looked at him and wiped his tears with the pads of her thumbs."I promise you that I'm not going anywhere. Nothing can tear me away from you, Henry. I love you so much, my son."

"But you can't promise me that. Anything can happen, mom. And I almost lost you again. Is Neal going back to prison?"

"Yes, apparently so. Mallory informed me he has 11 more years to serve. God knows why they let him out so early in the first place. But he's back in prison now, and when he comes back out, you will be an adult. You'll not have to worry about him getting custody of you."

"Yeah, kid, he'll not want to mess with you. Especially after he saw you defending your mom so brilliantly," Emma said proudly.

"She told you about that?" Henry asked, looking at Emma sheepishly.

"Of course, kid! Your mom is really proud of you for defending her. So am I."

"Well, you should have seen mom break his nose. I'm really surprised he tried to do anything after that. Even if he didn't expect me to do anything, I'm sure mom could have pulled something else out of her bag of tricks."

"Well, we won't have to worry about Robin anymore, sweetheart. As of," Regina looked at her wristwatch, "an hour ago, I'm a newly single mother with full custody of you."

"Are you serious!?" Henry asked, excited. "He just gave me up?" Henry asked, less excited this time, knowing that Robin really never loved him. He couldn't have.

"Yes. I'm sorry sweetheart, I know you did love him. I'm sorry he wasn't worthy of your love. I'm also sorry for putting you through all those years of neglect and emotional abuse from him. I should have left him a long time ago."

"Mom, we were both at his mercy. Don't blame yourself. Besides, we won't have to see him again now so he can just go f-"

"Don't finish that sentence, mister!" Regina said somewhat sternly, even if Robin did deserve it.

"Mom, I was just going to say he can just go for a long walk off a short pier." 

"Oh. Good. Okay."

"What did you think I was going to say?" Henry asked, innocently.

"Nothing, dear."

"Oh, okay. Because I would never say that he can go fuck himself. I'm much too refined for that," Henry said as he looked at Emma.

"Henry Mills!" Regina shouted, but had also looked at Emma in concern.

Emma had unfortunately just taken a big sip out of her coke bottle when Henry had dropped the f-bomb and had consequently sprayed a sizable amount out of both her mouth and nose. She was holding the latter in pain as it stung her nasal passage.

"Emma! Are you okay?" Regina let go of Henry to get some tissues from the bedside table, mopping up the mess Emma had made. She then sat on Emma's bed patting her back as Emma coughed and spluttered.

"Ouch, that hurt!" Emma exclaimed, but then started laughing. But it hurt her jaw and cheekbone to laugh, so she had to suppress it. "Damn, I'm sorry Regina, but that was hilarious."

"It was not!" But even Regina couldn't help smirking a bit. "And I'll not thank you for teaching Henry how to curse," Regina glared playfully at Emma.

"Hey, I've never dropped the f-bomb in front of the kid," Emma stated with both hands up in surrender. 

"Oh Mija," Henry Sr spoke up, "I'm afraid I'm to blame for that. I might have been a bit agitated whilst watching our telenovela. And the last twenty-four hours haven't been easy on your old man."

"Papi!"

"Awww Regina, you have to admit it was funny. And can you really blame your dad for worrying about you?" Emma said, smiling.

"Ok, fine. I'll give you the last twenty-four hours, Papi. But not for that telenovela crap that you boys watch."

"Mom! You can't tell Abuelo off for swearing in front of me, and then swear yourself!"

"Oh, honey, crap isn't a swear word." Henry raised his left eyebrow perfectly, just like his mom usually did to him. "Okay, fine," Regina finally relented.

"So, is Robin going to be staying at the apartment now? I don't want to see him when I have to go pack up my room."

"Oh, well, um." Regina wasn't sure how to break the next bit of news to Henry. "Actually, honey, Robin was arrested on a couple of charges."

"He was? What for?" Henry asked, confused.

"Well, he provided Neal with my signature so that Neal could forge it for the fake papers he drew up granting him full custody of you. That makes him an accomplice to the crime. He probably would just get community service or a light sentence for that. He was also caught on audio recordings of a few phone calls between himself and Mr Colter. I happened to hear the latest recording this afternoon. Mr Colter was hired by Robin to make me and Emma disappear. I… I'm not sure what the sentence for that is."

There were a few moments of silence before Henry finally spoke. "He hired someone to kill you? And Emma? And he was just going to give me up to a man who is a criminal." Henry said very calmly. Too calmly, perhaps.

"Yes, sweetheart. That is correct. But because Mr Colter was stopped by Mary Margaret, I'm not sure what his actual charge will be. Conspiracy to murder at the very least. I'm not sure what the sentence is for that."

"Will it be doubled since he wanted to have you both killed?"

"I don't know, honey."

"Don't worry about that, kid. The main thing is that he will be locked away for some time; and that you and your mom are free from him," Emma said, trying to move away from the subject.

"Well, I still want us to live with Abuelo. I don't like the apartment, mom."

"Yes, well, I think it will probably have to be sold anyway. Half of it is Robin's and he will probably need his share to pay for a new attorney. So we will be staying with Abuelo, Henry. But we will have to get up early since we will have to commute to your school and my office until the summer. Then we will get you enrolled in the local middle school, here."

"Yes! And when will you move in, Emma?"

"As soon as I am discharged from here, Hen. Possibly Saturday at the earliest. Oh, are you going to see August soon, Regina? He won't know what's going on. I was meant to visit him today."

"Mary Margaret cancelled all my appointments until Monday, but I'll call him in a while. He has a phone in his room. I need to also sign some papers for his discharge out of the hospital on Saturday. My dad and I can collect the rest of your things from his apartment over the next few days if you like?"

"I want to come with you to help," Henry said. I can carry the heavy boxes, mom. I'm strong enough."

"I know you are, honey. Thank you."

"Hey, I can help too," Emma said but was met with three scowls. "Okay, but I can at least direct you guys. You don't know where all my things are. I don't have much, anyway. Everything I have fit in my… Hey, what happened to Bug? Please tell me she's okay? I know I was going to sell her, but I still have fond memories," Emma pouted.

"I'll ask David, I'm sure it was probably taken to the station. I wouldn't worry, sweetheart."

"Thanks, babe," Emma smiled lovingly at her girlfriend.

There was a moment of silence as Regina and Emma realised what they had called each other and that they hadn't yet divulged their new relationship. 

"Is there something you would like to tell us?" Henry Sr asked, smiling knowingly.

"Ummm…" was all Emma could say.

"Well, actually, yes. Please bear in mind, this is very new but… well… Emma and I recently discovered that our feelings towards each other run deeper than friendship…"

"Like best friends?" Henry asked, confused.

"Deeper, kid. Way deeper. We love each other, Hen," Emma said, blushing as she looked at Regina

"You love each other? Like you used to love Robin, mom?"

"Oh no, honey. The way I feel about Emma, the love I feel? It's so much stronger than I've ever felt for Robin. For anyone, really." Regina said, looking lovingly at Emma.

"Even more than me?" Henry asked, worried.

"Oh no, honey!" Regina went to hug her son again. Then pulled back to look at his face. "I couldn't love anyone more than you. I meant romantic love."

"So," Henry said, "when you say recently discovered…"

"Well, we've known how we have felt for a while, but we couldn't exactly act on it because I was married. And I didn't know if Emma felt the same way."

"I did, kid. How could I not? Your mom is amazing. Then last Friday, at the dinner party… well, I left after some things were said between Robin and I. And, as you know, your mom and Robin also had words and she followed me out. To make sure I was okay. Then, well, everything sort of spilt out and we… well we kissed."

"You kissed each other?"

"Yes, Henry. We kissed. Are… are you okay with this?" Regina asked, nervously. 

"Yeah, I'm okay! Does this mean I get to have both of you as my moms?" Henry asked, excitedly. "Grace, in my class, has two dads. I can't wait to tell her!"

"Woah, Henry. Calm down, honey. This is all still very new. Let's just take it slow, okay."

"Is Emma still staying in the apartment above the garage, or in your room, then?" Henry asked rather innocently." 

"Ahem, I'll be staying in a guest room until I recover, kid," Emma said, blushing.

"And then you will move into mom's room. You should just move in now. That way she can take care of you better."

"Out of the mouths of babes," Henry Sr said, chuckling. "Nieto, enough with the questions. And ladies, I'm very happy for you both. At last, I've got a nice daughter in law!" Henry winked at them.

"Papi, I only just got divorced a couple of hours ago. We are not rushing into anything. Let us just enjoy it. "

"Nice!?" Emma exclaimed. "Is that all I am to you, Henry!? Nice?" Emma pouted.

"You're wondering, Mija, I was just kidding."

Just then, the door opened and a nurse walked in with Emma's new IV bag. "Okay, folks, visiting hours were over thirty minutes ago. It's time for Miss Swan to have her medication."

"Oh, will they make me sleepy? I still need to have my dinner," Emma pouted.

"Not to fear, Miss Swan. These will just take away the pain. Now say goodbye to your family." 

"My family?"

"Oh, I beg your pardon. I shouldn't have presumed," the nurse said, embarrassed.

"No, you're okay. They are my family," Emma beamed. "But my girlfriend is staying the night with me. Aren't you?" Emma looked at Regina, hoping that she was still staying.

"Of course, Emma. Dad brought me a change of clothes."

"Yes, I put it down by your cot, cariña. Okay, Nieto, say goodnight to your mom and Emma. We better get going. We can get something to eat on the way home."

"KFC?" Henry asked, hopefully, looking at his mom for permission.

"Okay, sweetheart," Regina agreed, rolling her eyes jokingly. "Goodnight and I'll see you tomorrow sometime. I'll give you a call in the morning, Papi." 

Regina gave her son and dad a hug and kiss, each before they left. They also gave Emma a kiss, both Henrys happily leaving with the prospect of getting KFC for his dinner - a luxury for them.


End file.
